As the credits roll
by 0o-ThisIsMe-o0
Summary: L'amour rouge is Julian Baker's new movie, which brings back together Nathan, Haley, Brooke, Lucas and Peyton after a seven-year fallout mainly between the boys and the three girls. Between hurt, anger, love, friendship, lust, kissing and slaps their lives change forever. AU with background form the show. Naley, Leyton, Brulian told through three long one-shots.
1. Introduction

Pursuing dreams. It's magical; watching what you've always imagined in your head play out in front of your eyes lively, hear it's melody meeting your eardrum is a perfect harmonious symphony, living it and looking back to realize how far you have got and what you have been through and who were there for you during that journey is overwhelming. However, nothing could grant you a perfect life, not even pursuing and reaching your dreams.

It's been seven years. Seven years since they were fresh high school graduates and had their whole life ahead of them. Seven years since the whole separation series began. A lot happened during those seven years, they all fell apart each going his own way, sides were taken and accusations were made, friendships collapsed and others tightened, relationships destroyed paving the way for another to be born, and the kids grew to be young adults, however, the five former close group of friends now have reached a good point in their careers… and supposedly in their personal lives.

Fate has a strange way of playing people though, because after everything that has happened and when life is finally settling down and going one way, fate comes to turn the wheel into a whole other direction, none of them would have expected that a single movie would change the life of not one, not two and not even five but the lives of seven people, reconnecting, separating and introducing and causing tons of confusions.

But, mostly, finding themselves again.

They were all a close group of friends, they haven't always been, but as life turned out, they have merged together forming tight friendships attracting the odds, and for a while, they thought this was how it will stay, however though, as high-school came to an end, they fell apart, it was almost as if the girls took a side and the boys took the other, as trouble went down between the couples causing the friends to form opinions and take sides that eventually brought everyone apart.

Brooke and Peyton moved to LA together after spending the summer with Haley in Tree Hill where she was staying for college, it wasn't long though before each went their separate way chasing opportunities in their dream jobs, however, the three of them kept in tight touch together, and almost five years after graduation they reconnected again the three of them living in LA and closer than ever.

The two Scott brothers attended Duke together after the drama that finalized their senior year of school where they became roommates, and also, while being each other's best friend, they had to go different directions however meeting once again.

The thing is, despite the ups and the downs each of the five has threw himself in work resulting in success, and resulting also in strangely reuniting again.

Brooke Davis was the first to reach her big success as her clothes line just went viral in a beautiful eruption, 'clothes over bros' was created while she was a student in high school, but once graduated, she gave it all her time working her ass off until it became one of the fashion creators it is now.

Peyton Sawyer lost her way for a while working as an underrated assistant to the assistant in a music label, it wasn't until she called her best friend that she decided to quit and start over, and with Brooke's help, she had her own music label and now she's starting to be one of the well-known names in introducing new young talents to the music field as well as composing music.

Haley managed to find a balance between taking baby steps as a singer and do her job lovingly as a single-mother. She released a few songs as a teenager already, and then worked in low-key places as an entertaining singer to make money, but now Peyton signed her up in her label giving her the chance she surely deserves.

Lucas was supposed to become a published author, but instead, he found himself in screenwriting and surprisingly to even himself in songwriting, with his main focus being screenwriting though, he feels like he wants to explore songwriting more, however, it's the movie field that introduced him to his fiancée Lindsey, she's an actress and they fell in love almost right away.

Nathan has always been a basketball star, in high-school, in college, and it didn't take much time to get to the NPA, catching the eyes of millions as a promising player and an upcoming legend. He has consumed his time, thoughts and energy solely on basketball which is why he made it big. He also guest-starred in a few movies that wanted to benefit from his success.

Julian is a movie producer and he is passionate about his job, he likes making stories, and he has a mind of his own, he is not afraid to take risks as long as he believes the outcome will be magnificent, which is only all the time, he makes it happen one way or the other, he's a fighter and that's the reason of his success.

XxXx

Julian had a story, a good one, the more he read the more he liked it and ached to be responsible in turning the papers into a live picture of voices and emotions. As he read, he just began imagining who'd fit in what job; he's already sat with the director, whom he chose knowing they would rarely disagree when it came to the final product, he's had a one-time experience in directing, but, he knew that this time it's not his shot, however, he was right, the director and him agreed on everything together.

It was a classic movie, 'L'amour rouge' they have decided to name it. The script was ready, it was co-written between two promising scriptwriters, and he loved it, he has heard of one of them long ago though; Lucas Scott. He knew him from his own ex-girlfriend, as he understands they used to be friends in high-school but weren't anymore, however, he understood what she said about him being talented, because he really was.

He didn't know if it was Lucas writing the script that reminded him of her or the fact that she has been achieving quick and well-deserved success lately, but Julian couldn't think of anyone better with music than Peyton Sawyer, and he knew she'll make significant pieces of music effects for this movie.

He couldn't just stop at that though, for some reason, he has suggested Lindsey Strauss, Lucas's fiancée for the leading actress and he couldn't just help but feel it's made for her.

Julian Baker only wanted his movie to be perfect, but he ended up collecting the old group of friends he has heard a lot about from Peyton at one point of his life one after the other, after having Lucas and Peyton who unknowingly to what's awaiting them brought in Haley too, he has thought Nathan Scott's look would fit a small role in the movie too, and with some help from his brother and soon to be sister in law, he's got him too.

Now, Brooke Davis was not his first option when it came to customs, in fact, he didn't have a first option yet, and it was more of a personal attraction at first, but then, when he really saw her work, he wanted no one but her.

Julian liked to make stories, but, he wasn't sure if he was only granting the perfection of 'L'amour rouge' or if he's making a whole other story but in real life by putting the fuel next to the fire… just to see if an explosion would take place!

So, after seven years, and with a twist of fate –in the personification of Julian- 'L'amour rouge' has come to change and strike their lives forever.

* * *

Hello guys, this is an idea I've had for a while, I just want to clarify what it is, this was only an introduction to avoid confusion.

They are three stories, and each story (representing each couple) will be long a one-shot, telling the whole story, quickly stating if there's a history and then how the movie comes to bring them together. With each on-shot focusing only on one story, there might be snippets of something happening with the others, after all, they are happening at the same time.

Each one-shot will be ranging between 18-25K words, do you have a problem with such length?

If you like the idea, please leave a comment, and I already have an order planned but which couple do you think will be up first? And what do you think happened between them all anyway?


	2. Nathan and Haley

**Nathan and Haley**

'Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love truth.' - _Joseph Joubert_

'There's none so blind as those who will not listen.' - _Neil Gaiman_

'Hearts live by being wounded.' - _Oscar Wilde_

**XxXxXx**

"What the fuck, man?" Nathan barged into Lindsey's changing room where he knew Lucas was waiting his fiancée. Lucas was gazing at his phone when his brother walked in and he didn't need to ask to know what he was yelling about. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

"I just knew this morning!" Lucas stood up and said in defend of himself.

"And you didn't bother to run it by me?"

"I was in my way to my own meeting with them, man. I am the one who will have to work with them, Nate! You won't even come across anyone!"

Nathan snorted, "Oh maybe not, I'll just see Brooke on daily basis and casually run into Peyton and Haley as they come and go."

"Wait, Brooke?" Lucas asked in surprise.

"Yes! She's making the customs. Didn't you know?"

"No, I didn't."

"Well, now you do." He snapped, "Oh, and thanks to you not warning me, I ran into Haley as she left your stupid meeting."

"Shit. You did?"

"Quit asking stupid questions, yes I did!" Nathan said through gritted teeth and then let out a huff; of course he was angry, who wouldn't be if he ran into his ex out of the blue after seven years, and not just any ex, she's in fact also the mother of his child whom he never met. "This is fucked up."

"It indeed is." Lucas shook his head, "Fuck you, Julian."

"Yeah, fuck him!"

Nathan has been focusing on his career as a basketball player, an excellent one at that. And by only putting his head into his game, and not letting anything else distract him, he made it big, he granted himself a spot in the NPA and went on proving he actually deserves it, which he did.

At the moment though, he was recovering from an injury, not a serious one, but he was required to stay away for a month or two until he fully heals, and that was when Julian Baker appeared in his life. Lucas has told him that he has signed to co-write a script and shortly after he told him that Lindsey signed for the main role in the same movie, and he was meeting up with both of them for a celebration dinner when he was met by the existence of Julian Baker, the producer, and soon, he learned that he was looking forward to recruit him as well.

Nathan wasn't interested, he sure has participated in commercials and even starred in some movies as a guest-role but he only did it when he had the time or when his manager advised him to take it, but he didn't want anything to distract him from basketball, and he was planning to stay in the gym to keep in shape until he heals.

Julian has told him to think about it; the role wasn't just a guest-star, well, he wanted to him to play another love interest of the main female role, the one who appears in her life and makes her realize she's in love with the protagonist. It was bigger than his normal appearances.

Although he was determined to reject it, but, Julian's persistence forced him to agree that he will think about, but he wasn't planning to.

However, it was Lucas who persuaded him. He remembers him talking about it being fun having him work on a movie that he helped writing, also acting along with his soon to be sister-in-law. He told him that he wouldn't be able to hit the gym for a while anyway and by that time he would be done with his scenes anyway.

"You know what, fuck you too. You got me here." Nathan said after a while of silence and Lucas chuckled knowing his rage is mostly over and what's left is his annoyance.

"Well, excuse me for wanting the best for everyone."

"The best!" he snorted sarcastically at the situation they found themselves in. "You know, you were strangely overly enthusiastic having me kiss your fiancée!" he smirked referring to a scene he would have to share with Lindsey.

Lucas rolled his eyes knowing his brother was now being mean because he was mad, "It's acting, Nate!"

"You know that would be three girls we shared." Nathan noted thoughtfully.

"What?"

"First Brooke, then Peyton and now Lindsey." He illustrated with a smirk, "You'll have to sleep with Haley and that would be like-"

"No, no, I'm gonna have to stop you right there. First, ew! Seriously, Nate? And second, you are _not_ sleeping with Lindsey! And third, stop your sick twisted mind trying to creep me out just because you met her again! Man up, Nate! I was in the dark just like you were. Do not take it out on me, man!"

Nathan groaned knowing he has been caught in the act. He was right, he was mad and he was taking it out on his brother, but he just met Haley; he just met her after purposely –and successfully- ignoring her existence for the past seven years.

It was a slap in the face when he saw her in front of him, almost like an out-of-body experience, both were petrified, his mind was racing with thoughts trying to find any feature in her face that would tell him that this is just someone who looks like her, but it wasn't, it really was Haley.

He didn't get to fully examine the changes, but she has indeed changed, if it was possible, she has gained more beauty, or maybe it was his vague memories of her that made him adore the real thing on seeing her, whatever the reason was, she was beautiful and he wasn't ready to see that.

**XxXxXx**

"Momma!" Jamie ran enthusiastically towards his mother who met him with a warm embrace.

"How was your day, Jamie-jam?" she asked him as they held hands and walked towards her car.

"It was great. Look! Ms. Turner asked us to draw something that we love." He said and held up a piece of paper and as Haley looked down at her beaming six year-old son, he was surely enough holding a childish drawing of a basketball. It fascinated Haley how he picked this sport specifically to fall in love with completely on his own, Brooke said it must be running in the Scotts' blood; and Haley couldn't disagree with that.

"That's beautiful, buddy." Haley said trying to sound as impressed as she could; she loves her son, but it pains her that he doesn't get to share this passion he has for basketball with his father, hell not even with his uncle. If Jamie knew that Nathan Scott, the basketball player he sees on TV and adores is actually his father, he would be over the moon, but, there wasn't so much that Haley could do about this, is there?

Up till now, she still hasn't faced being asked the question of the father identity, but, she knows that soon enough Jamie's curiosity will tick in, she has been doing so good and avoiding the thought of her baby's daddy all the past years, but, as of today, it seems like she can't do this anymore.

Haley has only known Julian Baker as Peyton's ex-boyfriend whom she has told her and Brooke about; she said that they have been casual friends after their break-up. And suddenly Julian came with an offer for Peyton which she wasn't so keen on accepting at first, but, then she did on the condition of dragging Haley with her in it. It was good seeing that she has just finally agreed to sign-up in Peyton's label and were looking to make an album, but instead, Peyton said they could postpone an album for now and make her first appearance to the audience through the movie's songs, something about leaving people wanting more, apparently Peyton saw something in Haley that she didn't see herself.

So, there it was, her first real opportunity as a singer in years, since she found out she's pregnant to be exact.

Until Peyton called her and told her Julian left them a little surprise telling them about Lucas Scott being a co-worker. As shocking as it was, and even though it wasn't a pleasant surprise seeing that she fell-out of contact with her former best-friend, but she still could cope, she and Brooke were more worried about Peyton at this moment. However, it wasn't the end of Julian's surprises.

After just surviving a meeting with Lucas, and as she left in a hurry to go pick up her son, she ran into the one and only Nathan Scott himself.

To say she was shocked would be underestimating what she felt, she was taken of guard, horrified and hurt… yes, hurt, the thought of Nathan alone gave her heartache, and even though she tried to never think about him it was kinda impossible seeing that a part of him is living with her and calling her mommy, so, to actually see him in person that was something else, a whole new level of pain she's experiencing.

At first, she thought –or more like hoped- that he was only visiting his brother; that it's only a one-time thing, but as soon as she left she called Peyton to ask her, and obviously she ran into him too and confirmed to her that he is indeed a part of the movie.

Haley's head spun –in fact it's still spinning. She is working on a project with her ex-boyfriend who's also Jamie's father. She has decided to just avoid any talk about him while working with Lucas, but, now that he is actually going to be there, and that the chances of seeing him again are probably high, she wondered how the hell she's going to do it with Jamie around.

After high-school, after all the drama, after everyone has made his own decision, she didn't think she will ever see Nathan's face again.

Their story began when Nathan and Lucas were rivals instead of the supportive brothers they are today. Nathan was dating her now best friend Peyton, and he was still a bad boy –that if he ever actually changed anyway.

Haley knew that Lucas had something for Peyton at that time, and apparently Nathan caught on too, because when he got closer to Haley, he was supposedly only getting back at his brother, he didn't really like her at this point, and she had the same feelings anyway. However, his persistence and constantly showing up in her path, and going as far as requiring tutor sessions, she has come to see a glimpse of the real Nathan Scott.

Nathan has really only wanted to piss his brother off, but, something about Haley's spontaneity and her straightforwardness cutting to the point and something about her smile, made it easy for him to just be natural away from all the pressure he's always under to appear in a certain image; the pressure inflected by his father.

And so, what started off as only a game of revenge, quickly turned into something real, and Haley fought everyone for Nathan, there was absolutely no one who approved of this relationship, everyone thought Nathan is only going to hurt her, but she has seen what she could fight them all for, she has seen the vulnerability and kindness lying within him.

Haley allowed him to look for a better healthier life, and for sure he has took himself out of all the craziness and toxicity in the Scott's residence and got himself emancipated from his parents at only the age of sixteen while he encouraged her to go after her dreams of being a singer, he was even the one to introduce her to troublemaker, most annoying human-being to ever walk plant earth, but sadly with good music taste; Chris Keller.

Their relationship was good, their friends soon began to see them as relationship goals, and everyone who was against it began to see what Haley saw in the first place.

Even though Nathan was done with his father's antiques and trying to win his respect, he couldn't fully cut himself from him, he was still his father and on some level, Nathan did really care about the man and loved him, so Dan Scott has always been there trying to snake his way between Nathan and Haley, but, both have learnt to deal with it and Nathan has always stood up for him.

They sure had their ups and downs, but they also survived a lot of things together; Nathan taking drugs to up his game and ending up in the hospital broken both physically and emotionally, Haley being accused of stealing test results, the school shooting, Dan's numerous plots and schemes, Haley's stage fright, Chris Keller's flirting with her, basketball games –both wins and losses, Haley's first recorded song, and basically no one believing they're a good match to everyone thinking of them as goals. They have been together through thick and thin sticking by each other's sides.

It wasn't until their senior year, specifically towards the end of it that they started a rocky path. Nathan has got a scholarship to Duke's, and while Haley's dream school was initially Stanford, but she has applied to both and actually got accepted in both. She didn't tell Nathan she applied to Duke at first, they have been talking about how they are going to handle a long-distance relationship and it wasn't comfortable, so, she wanted to wait and see if she actually gets accepted and then surprise him.

During the time she has been waiting for the acceptance letters, they have started some rough patch, Nathan was already stressed due to senior year, basketball season, and waiting to hear from colleges, and Dan was striking again, telling him not to let anything even love get in the way of his career as a basketball player, he has been telling him to be careful, and always put basketball first, Nathan thought he was immune to Dan's poison, but, as it turned to it, he could only take a certain limit of stress and pressure, unknowingly, his words has sunk in his brain slipping into his conscience deep down.

Fights began arising between them, but it was nothing serious, it was only meant to be temporary period of time, both of them have counted on that, but that was before Haley found out she's pregnant right after Nathan got his scholarship to Duke. Haley was carrying two sets of news to him; her own acceptance to Duke and the pregnancy, and she has foolishly decided to tell him about the pregnancy first granting him never finding out about Duke up to the current day.

He took it bad, his father's words finally paying as he accused her of holding him back and wanting to tie him to her, Haley on the other hand couldn't believe his accusations, she didn't know where it came from and how in the hell this is the Nathan she knows and loves. However though, that was only his initial reaction, he has then apologized and blamed it on his stress and wanted to think rationally about it, but Haley was stubborn, even though she agreed to talk, she still didn't like a word he said, probably because he was clearly walking around the area of giving the baby up for adoption or even better get an abortion all together. Although Haley never planned on getting pregnant right before college, and while being accepted at several schools, but the idea of him thinking about it as a burden and a problem that they need to solve, and actually suggesting an abortion 'to cut the problem from its roots' as he put it ticked her off.

Having gone through a pregnancy scare of his own, Lucas has tried to interfere, he talked to Haley trying to explain to her Nathan's real point of view and how it actually makes sense, and that he was still going to be there for her no matter what her decision is going to be, he spoke for both him and Nathan when he said that, but Haley was still angry, she couldn't understand how Lucas could think it's a good idea to put the baby up in adoption having grew up with a father like Dan who never wanted anything to do with him, and apparently that was the exact reason both him and Nathan thought abortion is more suitable, but he still insisted that he's there for her.

Maybe it was hormones, or maybe it was the fact that she was already mad at who Lucas is becoming and what he's doing to one of her two best friends –or sometimes actually both, but Haley ended up fighting with him and kicking him out.

However, after long nights of thinking it over and over, Haley has decided that maybe abortion is the best option; she didn't want to bring a child into the world unless she can provide him or her a healthy environment to grow up in, something that didn't seem possible at the time.

She reluctantly told Nathan her decision over the phone and he asked her if she wanted him to go with her but she bitterly turned his kind offer down; she has called wanting to try and solve their problems, but she didn't like the relief in his voice when she told him.

When it came to it, Haley couldn't do it, she couldn't kill the baby growing inside of her, the moment she heard the heartbeats, she decided that she was going to take care of the baby on her own no matter what it takes.

Nathan tried contacting her, he wanted to know what happened and if she was okay, to be honest, he wasn't even sure that this was the right decision, he tried calling her when he knew she was heading to the hospital to ask her to wait and think it over together, but she never picked up, he tried catching up with her there but he never found her, and he didn't know what that meant.

He caught her in the hallway on the last day of school and he asked her why she never answered the door or her phone, she said she wants some time apart to think, and when he asked if she did it, she gave him a dirty look and left him standing there with a weird feeling down his stomach, he assumed it meant she got the abortion, and surprisingly, he felt uneasy to the news.

It wasn't until after graduation and the start of summer vacation when he was getting ready to leave to Duke with his brother, and trying to make things right with Haley who was being cold towards him and never returning his calls and not even Lucas' calls, not until he cornered Brooke trying to make her let him reach Haley that he realized she never got rid of the baby, although somehow he was relieved, but he felt angry; he has done nothing but try to talk to her about it, yes, his initial reaction was harsh, but he panicked, can you blame his teenage boy mind for panicking? Hell, he even wanted to re-think it all with her, and she only decided to keep him completely in the dark about it.

This led to him barging in her house uninvited and having a huge fight with her, he couldn't believe how she thought it's a good idea to carry his baby around without him knowing about it, and she said she doesn't want any more of his genius accusations and brilliant ideas. He argued that he had a change of heart and she claimed that he is just like his father choosing to chase glory instead of taking actual responsibilities, and although it was an expected sentence, but it cut his heart in half; she of all people knew how he fought to become anything but follow the example of his father.

In the conclusion of this huge fight, Haley said she doesn't want someone like him to play father for her baby only to have him disappear on them, and Nathan claimed she apparently never really knew him like he thought.

Both were heartbroken and both said things, but neither took any of it back.

And while Lucas called her out for cutting Nathan out of his unborn child's life already, and she called him out for his own jerkiness, they too didn't really leave things on stable ground, and even though Lucas tried to be the Keith to her baby right after Jamie was born, Haley could see that he was the farthest from being like Keith at the moment, and the problem is he didn't even see it, and the more they tried to keep in touch the more they fought, so they stopped it all together.

The ones who really stood by her through it all truly supporting her decisions no matter what they were and giving their honest opinions without trying to influence hers were Brooke and Peyton. They stayed with her throughout the summer postponing going to LA to help her and actually try to convince her to go with them instead of staying alone at Tree Hill.

Haley refused to go though, she wanted to do it all by herself. She gave up literally everything to be there for her baby boy, she gave up her dream college, and even any prober college, her music career, Nathan and basically any other man and social life to be a good mother.

Brooke and Peyton have always been there for her though; they managed to get back for Jamie's birth even though it was a crazy time period in the semester, and they never missed a birthday afterwards, they always found time to video-chat and keep in touch with Jamie who loved cool aunt Brooke who always brings gifts along, and funny aunt Peyton who always gives him an extra ice-cream scoop behind his mother's back.

Haley became a high-school teacher and kept playing music as a part-time job in low-key places to keep in touch with the artist inside of her and she could actually use the extra cash, even though her parents, Karen and even Deb later on offered to help with Jamie, but she never took anything from anyone.

It was her and Nathan against the world for their relationship, and now, it's her against Nathan and anyone in the world for her son.

Nathan on the other hand, took offence in the fact that she didn't want him in his child's life, and that she even accused him of being another version of Dan, he has depended on Lucas to act as a neutral land between them always urging him to call and ask Haley about her and the baby, and even though Lucas wanted to ask too, but he knew they were not just getting along, but he did it for his brother anyway, and she ended up cutting him off too, and so, went all the connections he had with her. He thought time would dissolve it, but on the contrary time only hardened the sorrow making it harder and harder to break as both waited for the other to take the first move and break the ice; both thought only the other party was at fault.

And for the days to turn and come to the moment that they actually have to work on the same project with the risk of running into each other at any time, that was really some mean work of fate!

Haley only knew one thing though; that her first and only priority was her son, and she would do whatever is in his best interest at any cost.

**XxXxXx**

To say Nathan was on edge would be understandable, he was grumpy and his nerves were all over the place. To be fair, Nathan has been angry for a good while, his brother always said that his anger and mood swings started after graduation, and Nathan always wanted to bite his head off whenever he said that. He let out all his kept-in energy while turning it into success in playing basketball. But, now, not only is he on a break from basketball, but it had to be at this exact time that Haley appears in his life.

He has taken his decision though; he wasn't going to continue this movie, he didn't even want to participate in it in the first place, and now, there's no way in hell he is going to continue it.

So, the first thing he did was to approach Julian, "I want out of this movie!" he said straight away.

Julian sent him a look, "It has only been few days, what happened now?"

Nathan gave a sarcastic chuckle, "What happened? What do you think you're doing anyway?"

"I frankly have no idea what you are talking about, Scott."

"You don't, huh? So, you want me to believe it's coincidence that you magically turned out signing me, my brother and our high-school friends in one project? Obviously without any of us knowing."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize I needed to provide you a list of all people participating in the movie before signing."

Nathan gave another sarcastic scoff, "Look, I don't know how you know about our history, or if you are a sick sadistic person who thinks he's too smart or whatever, but I'm out of this movie."

"I'm sorry but you're not, Nathan."

"Excuse me?"

"We have a contract, and we do want you in our team."

"Fuck the contract, I can pay you double what's in the damn contract. But, I'm not going to work around Haley James!"

"Sure you can, and it's not about money, Scott. If Haley James is the problem you needn't worry, she won't be even around set; you don't have to worry about meeting her."

Julian knew for a fact that Haley would probably be around set occasionally seeing she's friends with Brooke and Peyton who said she's going to visit set for inspiration when needed, but he couldn't have told Nathan that.

Nathan tried fighting him, however Julian said they weren't interested in looking for someone else for the role, besides, filming has already started and they were on tight schedule, he assured him that he isn't going to run into Haley whatever the reason he doesn't want to meet her is.

Nathan in the end reluctantly stopped fighting, but he was still on edge, and as it seemed, this feeling wasn't going to go away anytime soon; he can't even begin to explain how seeing Haley again affects him, it was something he never thought would happen again, Nathan was never good dealing with heartbreak, and Haley broke his heart seven years ago when she decided to cut him out of her life and their kid's as well, the kid he had realized he wanted but she never let him explain, but if Nathan knows anything about getting over a broken heart, it's how to completely take out the person responsible for it from his heart and never look back, that's what he did as a kid towards Lucas when he found out he's his brother, and that what he did towards Dan when he realized he was directing his anger towards the wrong person, and that's what he did with Haley seven years ago, the only problem being that Haley had a part of him with her that he can't seem to ignore deep down.

Nathan and Haley both have been tiptoeing around when it came to walking around the set; both taking extreme measures to avoid running into one another again. Haley frankly asks Brooke if he'll be there before stepping a foot towards set and Nathan keeps asking his brother about her moves, while both are initially trying only to avoid the other, they have come to know more and more about each other by constantly asking.

Nathan learned that Haley has become a good mother and that her first concern in life is her son, and nobody told him that but he kinda formed the idea that she must be terrified taking the risk of going into the music business again for the fear of it affecting her duties towards Jamie. And Haley was confirmed what she has known all along about Nathan being a hard-worker once assigned a job, he makes sure to turn it out as good as it can get. He has been like this since they were young with basketball but she knew that this only grew more when he chased his career.

However, tiptoeing around set wasn't going to grant them never meeting, it was only a matter of time until they run into each other. It happened one day when Haley was working with Peyton while leaving Jamie to help Brooke out -but it was really Brooke babysitting Jamie- and Nathan was supposed to be there to do a shot but they were late remaking another one over and over because Chris kept laughing causing Lindsey to laugh as well so he was left only wandering around furiously.

Nathan has been ready to shoot for a long time, so he was frustrated with them keeping him waiting like that; he knew that the longer he stays the higher his chances of running into Haley gets, however, they promised only half an hour more tops before he gets to work, he decided to grab something to eat to pass time while waiting to avoid causing any sort of problem like his temper is telling him to, so he was heading to the vending machine when he stopped in his tracks a few steps away from it watching the struggling toddler trying to get his money in. Jamie's eyes caught someone from the corner of his eyes and turned slightly only to forget all about the chocolate bar Brooke asked him to get her and stared at the man in front of him. Both stood staring at each other for whole different reasons.

Even though Nathan never saw the boy in person and only vaguely came across his picture before but it didn't take a genius to know who the little boy was, he was all Scott, like a mini mix between him and Lucas, mainly -and weirdly- Lucas, he had shaggy blond hair and piercing blue eyes glistening with a forward adventurous look, much like Nathan himself. Seeing the boy staring back at him he wondered if he knew who he was, if he knew he's his father. While on the other hand Jamie was struck on meeting his superstar basketball player Nathan Scott, ever since he knew he was on this movie on seeing his name on one of the doors while wandering around, he has been nagging his mother, Brooke and Peyton to take him to see him, his mother always said he's busy though, silently cursing the day Jamie learned how to read.

"You're Nathan Scott!" The boy exclaimed running over towards him with a beaming wide grin as he stopped at his legs looking up at him in admiration.

"Uh, yes, yes I am. You know who I am?" Nathan recovered and asked with a pounding heart.

"Only the best point guard EVER." Jamie exclaimed enthusiastically while Nathan was too engulfed in his own thoughts of getting his head wrapped around the fact that this is his own kid standing there talking to him as if he's a basketball God unknowingly to his real relation to him. It was bizarre, he has known that he has a child somewhere in the world, but he never really thought of him as a walking and talking flesh and blood, this in front of him, he's a whole other person with his own thoughts and feelings, coming from him, and he-Nathan- doesn't know a single thing about him.

Nathan realized that he was ought to say something to the kid, he has met kids before and he always liked how they looked up to him, but this kid… not so much, "So, what's your name?"

"I'm JJ." The kid beamed, "And I _love_ basketball."

"JJ?" Nathan frowned curiously.

"Yep, my full name is James Lucas James, everybody call me Jamie, but I prefer JJ." The boy rambled as Nathan's frown grew; _James Lucas_? She gave him his brother's name as a middle name but she didn't want to give him the Scott name?

"So, you love basketball, huh?" Nathan said kneeling down to be in his level and the kid enthusiasm only doubled.

"Yes! I watch your games, you're my favorite. I want to be like you."

Nathan's first instinct was to take the little boy between his arms; it came and went very quick leaving him terrified of his own feelings.

"Well, uh, I bet you will be even better." He said standing up again and cleaning his throat, "What were you doing earlier?" Nathan asked pointing towards the vending machine.

"Uh, nothing." It amazed Nathan how much he looked like him at the moment when he tries to hide his embarrassment averting his eyes right and left then at the ground; the boy didn't want to admit that he doesn't know how to deal with a vending machine, after all, he never personally dealt with one.

"Jamie," Nathan started, "do you need help?" he asked in amusement surprising even himself with the way he suddenly shifted. The boy looked up at him once again for a second before giving a small nod. Nathan chuckled and led the way to the machine showing the kid how it works, and suddenly he realized the reason for his sudden amusement; he was experiencing a first-something in his kid's life; he is responsible for teaching him something new, he realized this as he watched the boy proudly pick up the chocolate bar after being taught how to properly get it, he then looked up at him with the biggest smile ever and it was impossible not to return it even though Nathan was terrified and shaking inside, scared to death of his own current feelings.

"James Lucas! Where the hell-" Haley's voice was echoing around as she approached before looking over and realizing who's there with her son, "What's going on?" she frowned taking wide steps towards them.

"Look, momma! It's Nathan Scott." Jamie said sharing his excitement with his mother, "He taught me how to use the vending machine."

"He did?" she asked ruffling his hair and he nodded with a smile, "That's great, kiddo, but it's time to go, why don't you go say bye to Aunt Brooke and Aunt Peyton?"

He nodded, "Bye, Nathan Scott, it's nice to meet you." If Nathan had any doubt this kid was a Scott before, it had to vanish seeing him flash a significant charming smile over at him before running back.

"So, what the hell was that?" she glared folding her arms over her chest.

"Excuse me?"

"Did you just get _my son_ candies?"

Nathan snorted chuckling humorlessly at her emphasizing that he is her son, marking him as only hers! "You're sick!" he spat shaking his head proceeding to leave.

"_I_ am sick?" she yelled after him as he stopped rolling his eyes and turning around to face her again, "What were you doing talking to him? Do you think you-"

"I don't think anything. And I have a scene to shoot, so, I don't really have the time to stand by and listen to whatever nonsense you have to say!" He realizes that he came off a little too harsh, but, he needed to; if he didn't, he would have ended up saying a lot more worse stuff, had he let her get to his nerves.

After sending her one last cold look, he turned around and left her standing there wondering what that was, what it meant, the one thing she knew though was that she didn't really like the way he ended this conversation, if you can even call it that.

And what both of them knew deep down, is that this was only the start of something bigger to come, as both were left intrigued to be at each other's throats.

**XxXxXx**

The rest of Haley's day was basically listening to her son ranting on and on about meeting the one and only Nathan Scott and how cool it is that he taught him how to use a vending machine, he couldn't wait till he tells his friends about it and until then he only had his mother to tell the story to over and over again unaware of how it hurts her to actually know her son is this exited to meet his father without even knowing who he really is. This was what Haley was afraid of, she didn't want to work around Nathan to avoid anything that could hurt her son.

She wouldn't have even got him on set unless she really had to, her sitter canceled on her in the last minute, and she couldn't delay with Lucas and Peyton any longer, so, she brought him along handing him over to Brooke after being told that Nathan should have been done by the time she gets there, but apparently, and just to her luck, he wasn't.

Jamie found out accidently on a similar situation that Nathan Scott is working in this movie, and once he was confirmed that it's the same Scott he knows he didn't talk about anything else but having to meet him.

Haley on the other hand was making sure to avoid all that at any costs, she knows Nathan never wanted him in the first place, and he never even tried to contact her again, he obviously didn't want anything to do with them and she was okay with that… actually no, she never was; Haley always saw the good in Nathan, and she always believed in him, and he never failed her, until she got pregnant, or in other words, until her pregnancy came in the way of his dreams, or at least that's how he views it, then and only then did he bring out his dark side, she thought it was only the initial shock, she waited for him to come to his senses, she waited weeks, months, years… seven years, and he never did, and the longer she waited the more she despised him, she knew he had goodness inside of him, but he was stubbornly insisting on only using the darkness instead.

She blamed it on a lot of things at first, being young, stressed, being under Dan's effect, but Haley is a smart girl, she couldn't have kept blaming it on something else but Nathan himself.

So, yeah, the fact that she wanted Jamie away from that guy only made sense, she wants to protect her son from getting hurt. She knows he adores him as a player, and if he got any close to him, that meant only getting his heart broken too early.

But apparently, she couldn't have been careful enough, eventually they have met, and Haley was only thankful that nothing bad happened, maybe it's because she got there in the right time and maybe Nathan didn't even realize who the boy was, but in the end, Jamie was only happy to meet his favorite athlete.

However, she still wasn't comfortable, what if she had to take Jamie with her once again? How is she going to make sure her baby is safe?

Haley has thought it over and over and she reluctantly came to a decision; she has to suck it up, swallow her pride and give her ex a visit… for her son's sake.

They should be able to communicate civilly; after all they are adults now. She asked her friends if they knew his address, with this whole re-connection thing, Peyton and Brooke had no reason not to say hi to Nathan even though it was more formal than friendly, and of course neither knew where he lived, so, she asked Peyton to get the adress for her to which she surely protested but ended up getting it from Julian eventually.

So, there she was standing in front of his one-floor house re-thinking it for the thousandth time, she contemplated leaving only to turn back facing the black door and forcing her hand up to ring the doorbell. Her heart bounded hard in her chest, there's still time to back out, she can just run as fast as she can and it will be like it never happened, it was all over though when the door opened revealing a shirtless, sweaty panting Nathan.

Haley's body involuntarily stiffened as she glued her arms to her body intertwining her hands together with her shoulders buckled up a little and her eyes slightly larger than their normal size while Nathan stood there with a frown catching his breath while trying to process the identity of his visitor. Both stood there staring at one another for a good while neither saying anything.

"What are you doing here?" Nathan scrunched up his face finally breaking the silence to replace it with nervousness.

Haley cleared her throat, "I… we need to talk."

Nathan still only stared back at her with the frown on his face only growing wider. Haley raised an eyebrow at him with a sharp gaze and he rolled his eyes finally moving to the side to allow her in.

"How do you even know where I live? Is it Lucas?" he asked taking a side note to let his brother has a piece of his mind.

"No, and that's beside the point." She said which seemed to irritate him all the more; not only does he not have to scream at Lucas, but he also is dealing with her and her attitude at the moment.

"What are you doing here, Haley?" he asked taking a huge gulp of water down hoping it will help calming him down; he has been working out for over an hour trying to ease his nerves and to release all the negative energy he's caught sine his encounter with Haley, and only when he was starting to feel better, she showed up at his own door!

"I told you we need to talk."

"Why the sudden need?"

"Because obviously, we're seeing more of each other nowadays, don't you think?" she raised an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest.

"Well, we don't have to acknowledge each other, don't you think?" he shot back mimicking her tone.

She frowned, "Seriously?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it shouldn't be that hard, after all."

She narrowed her eyes, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked picking up on his tone.

He smirked, "It means that it wasn't hard the last seven years, it shouldn't be hard now."

"You're damn right, it wasn't hard!" she growled obviously sarcastic, "It shouldn't be for a heartless soul like yourself."

"That makes two then." He said back with a calm smile.

So much for a civil talk between two adults!

"Point is… stay away from my son, Nathan." She raised a warning finger towards him; truth is she has come prepared to start off by apologizing for the way she acted earlier, and to demonstrate how it's for everybody's interest –especially Jamie's- to stay away, but this all went down the drain since he opened his mouth and got to her nerves.

He let out a chuckle, "What? Are you afraid that I'm gonna go for custody?"

This took her by surprise, she didn't even consider that, why did he say this? Is it an option? It can't be, he wouldn't do that.

Nathan laughed, "If that's what you're worried about then don't."

Haley gritted her teeth; he liked watching her squirm and suffer, didn't he? "Of course you wouldn't." she rolled her eyes, "And that's not even on the list of my worries, I just want to protect my son, so, just stay away from him, Nathan."

"Wait a second…" he frowned and took a step closer, "So, to be clear, you wanna protect our- your- " he took a deep angry breath, "you wanna protect the boy from me?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I want."

"Dammit, Haley!" he exclaimed pumping his fist to the wall.

Haley flinched with the sudden outburst; she has been trying to ignore the fact that his muscles were screaming at her to notice since she got there, but at this moment it was impossible not to, he has clearly grew bigger, and dare she say it sexier, he was tensed and she could clearly see it all over his body, she brushed it all to the side and brought her eyes back to his angry face.

"You know what, you got it! I don't even want anything to do with either of you." He said bitterly.

Although that was what Haley knew all along, but it still hurt to hear out loud for the first time.

"I know you don't." she mumbled with a hurtful deep frown before taking her way to the door.

"Fine!" he screamed after her as she slammed the door leaving him way angrier than he was before. Nathan wasn't always angry, but his hurt is translated into bad temper and anger, well, he never hurt anyone nor had anger problems, but, he for sure, wasn't happy, wasn't relaxed, basketball only gave him release when he throws himself in it taking his mind off of anything else, he knows though that he sometimes gets hard to deal with, and when that happens he tends to stay alone and deal with his temper on his own.

But right now, he had no idea how to deal with it, it was too much to handle; how in the hell does she think he's going to hurt his own son? Why would she need to protect him from his father? And not to mention, actually agreeing to him not wanting anything with him! Hell, he's spent the past seven years waiting for her to come to her senses and decide to include him back. He wasn't the one who suddenly took a side and never looked back, hasn't he tried speaking? Hasn't he tried making it right? Yet, she never budged.

Nathan blamed Haley for not being in his son's life, hell she didn't even bother to tell him she was still having the baby in the first place.

And he never came near them, she didn't want him there, so he never was, and now, now that they have unwillingly met again, and he came face to face with his son for the first time, and as if it wasn't enough that he was dealing with such conflicting unexplainable feelings, but she also had to come and crush him all over again.

Nathan didn't even realize he was deep down hoping to get to meet Jamie again until she forbad him to. He didn't realize he was hoping she'd show any sign of care when he said he doesn't want to be in their life until she surprisingly agreed to his words.

Nathan didn't know he has been waiting for Haley to crumble and show some longing, some affection, some regret, absolutely anything that would let him know she still somehow cares, he has been waiting –or needing- to see this ever since he knew he'd be seeing more of her around, and she just showed the exact opposite.

Nathan was hurt, and he needed to heal, and he only knew one way to do so; he marched over to his gym room where he knew he would be spending the rest of the night.

**XxXxXx**

It was yet another day where Haley had to bring Jamie with her to the set, it was a busy day and Brooke had asked her and Peyton to come along and help, people were pretty much used to Jamie being around, he was mainly curious about how things work, and he always found someone free enough to tell him.

Haley had impulsively made sure to keep an eye on her son the whole time, but, for a while, she actually didn't know where he was, and once she realized so, she snuck away from Brooke to look for him, she expected a lot of things but she didn't expect to find him sitting alongside Lucas having a chat, she stood at a distance watching.

"So, how cool is it being Nathan Scott's brother?" Jamie asked him and Lucas chuckled.

"You know you hurt my ego, kid!" He said.

"Yeah, yeah, you write stuff, but he _plays basketball_." Jamie emphasized with glistening eyes.

Lucas looked at him for a while before nodding, "You're right. He's cooler. So, I take it you play?"

He nodded frankly, "I do, and one day, I'll be as big as him."

"I'm sure you will." He said and offered him his fist to pump.

"So, you've known my mother when you were kids?"

Lucas frowned and Haley was equally surprised to hear him say that; how did he know that, "Yes… yes I did." He answered unsure.

"Does that mean that momma knew Nathan too?" the boy cocked his head to the side a little questioningly.

"Jamie! I've been looking for you." Haley decided it was time to stop this conversation, her heart was still bounding from hearing Jamie's new piece of information; she will sure have to deal with him questioning her later.

"Momma, I just met Lucas. He taught me a few chords." He said referring to the guitar that was now laying aside.

Haley has to say that it also hurt her heart almost as equally as seeing him with Nathan, they were supposed to be his family, to have been there for him, and to have experienced all his firsts that they have missed.

"That's cool, buddy." She ruffled his hair, "I believe Brooke needs your help with something. Why don't you go find her?" she hated lying to him, but she needed to get him away for now, and besides Brooke would be looking for her now anyway and Jamie would love to hand her a dress or a corset.

"Okay." He said and then pumped fists with Lucas again, "Bye, Uncle Lucas, Aunt Brooke needs me." He said before running off and Haley took his place next her former best friend.

She has only kept her relationship with Lucas work-related, she acted nice and welcoming on the professional basis, but she never got personal with him again, and it was about time actually.

"He's a precious kid." Lucas commented, "You've done a good job, Haley." He said and the sad tone in his voice didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Thank you." She said sincerely, and she suddenly felt the sudden urge to ask him what happened to them, to tell him she was disappointed of how things turned out, she suddenly felt that she missed her best friend, and her old life.

"I hear he has met his father." Lucas said in a low voice beating her in speaking first again.

She frowned, "Don't call him that, Lucas! He's not-"

"Haley…" Lucas threw his head back and said in a begging tone, he didn't get why Haley was being this harsh on Nathan, he never did.

"No! He doesn't want anything to do with him, so, just…"

"Wait, what?" He frowned shifting to be facing her, "Did he say that?"

Haley snorted, "Where have you been the past seven years? Did he really need to say it?!"

"Where have _you_ been?" he shot back.

"_I_ have been raising _my_ son!"

"You say it like he's only yours, Haley, Nathan has-"

"Oh my God, Lucas! This is exactly why we kept fighting until we fell out."

"No, _this_ is exactly why we fell out." He said pointing towards her with a frown.

"What? You are just repeating what I'm saying." She shook her head.

He rolled his eyes, "Haley! You never let me finish a sentence."

"That's because you keep trying to justify for your brother completely ignoring your own best friend's feelings." She screamed back with tears showing up in her eyes; well, it was this among other reasons, but this was her concern now. "Sorry, former best friend." She sarcastically corrected.

"Is this how you see it?"

"I see it how it is, Lucas."

"No! It's definitely not how it is!" he said standing up getting worked up, "And if you stop interrupting, and actually start listening, you would understand!" He angrily said, "God, I can't believe this all happened because of your stubbornness!"

"What? How dare you blame it on me, Lucas?" she got up too getting just as tensed as he was, "How could this ever be my fault? Like, what? Was I supposed to just forgive and forget after I was accused of such horrible things?"

"No, Haley, you should have talked to me, your best friend, or you should have at least listened to what I had to say, instead of just sticking to Brooke and Peyton making them your new best friends!" He had never admitted it before, but he was jealous that his spot was easily filled, he was always Haley's best friend and it was supposed to stay this way forever.

"Brooke and Peyton were actually the only ones in my supposed group of friends that supported my decision no matter what it was! They stuck with me instead of telling me what I should and shouldn't do with my own baby, like Nathan did, like you did."

"Fuck, Haley! I was just giving you my opinion, like we always do!"

"It looked like you were reinforcing your brother's side, Lucas, and let's face it, you two have suddenly turned jerks at that time!" she spat and he snorted ready to attack back but this time she beat him, "Besides, what would you have told me anyway? You would have convinced me to put him up for adoption?"

"Dammit, I would have never!" he shook his head with a horrified look, "In fact, what I would have said – what I always wanted to say, and what you're still so stubborn to hear Haley, is that you made a big mistake and no- not because _you decided to have your baby_," he said in a hurt mocking way, "because you didn't include Nathan."

"Nathan didn't want to be included, what? Did you want me to force his son upon him?"

"Fuck it, Haley, he never said he doesn't want him; otherwise, why the hell has he been sulking around the whole time span of seven years?"

"What? Sulking what? What are you saying?"

He huffed, "What I've been trying to tell you every time I brought him up, and every time you snapped at me… Haley he thinks that you're the one who doesn't want him around, and with the way you cut him out and then me afterwards, I can't really blame him."

"What? Why would he-"

"What's going on here?" Lindsey asked as she appeared in the hallway with Chris and the man in question himself. Apparently, they finished their scene and were heading to their rooms to prepare for the next one.

"Nothing, we're just two old friends catching up." Lucas said giving his fiancée a smile.

"Right…" Chris commented suspiciously.

"Chop, chop, chop… we still have a lot to do in little time." Brooke's sound echoed as she came holding some customs along with Peyton, Jamie who was holding a pair of shoes, each in one hand, and a couple of other people, some of whom proceeded towards the rooms to prepare their own work. "Haley! Where the f-" she stopped remembering Jamie was there, "Where have you been?"

"Here, Brooke!" she replied with a sigh and took a step forward taking some of the clothes from her; she knew her conversation with Lucas was over, but she was also left confused and wondering; what the hell was he saying? Why would Nathan be sad? Why would he think she's the one who didn't want him included? Isn't he the one who wanted abortion in the first place?

So many questions and she knew she'd have to wait to get her answers unfortunately.

They all proceeded to the rooms whilst Nathan slowed himself until he was left alone with his brother, "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You and Haley!" he rolled his eyes, "You were fighting. Is it because of Jamie?"

Lucas sighed, "It's always because of Jamie." He knew his brother wouldn't approve of him discussing his feelings but he also knew Nathan was just as stubborn as Haley was and if he never said anything Jamie will never get to know his father or he'll find out when older and it will end up in a big drama, much bigger than it already is.

"Yeah, she's so hypocrite!" Nathan said and then stretched his arms wincing in pain, Lucas frowned knowing Nathan has been doing this a lot lately.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, pretty fine. I should get going anyway." He said and then left to his room to get ready too.

Lucas knew what it was though, Nathan has been over-working himself again in his work-outs, and this only means he's been stressed again, he always throw himself at basketball or the gym whenever he wants to get his mind off of something, and when he gets a sore body and zero relaxation, he turns around to talk to Lucas. He then knew that he did the right thing talking to Haley, this whole suffering needed to end.

**XxXxXx**

'L'amour rouge' was a promising project, and if you ask Haley what are the basis that could grant the success of a project, she would insist that one of the most important elements is a solid close group of co-workers, and for a fact, people were actually getting along and enjoying each other's company… as every entity goes though, there were classified groups, it quiet reminded Haley of high-school; Lindsey and Chris were not only the main faces in the movie, but in the set playing their real lives out too, they were the main divas having some people sucking up around them, Lucas and Julian strangely fell into the same category having the jocks attitude, Brooke insisted that she, Peyton and Haley are all classified as queen bees, but that's just Brooke, she has to see it that way, however both other girls disagreed, maybe Brooke was a queen bee, but Peyton managed to range between a floater and a loner, while Haley somehow was stereotyped as a brainy, maybe because she carried the responsibilities of being a mother on her shoulders and showing on her face, while Nathan with no doubt was seen as the hot loner who hangs with the popular but still has got a different vibe, the mysterious bad-boy vibes that would challenge teenage girls to solve and heal.

And also like any entity, and much like high-school, there was a party, Julian held a party for the whole cast and crew claiming that it'd be good to get to know each other even better off-set, and that it's always good to bond while having fun, Julian just gave everybody access key to mix business with pleasure as if it wasn't enough drama he has caused, well, at least from Haley's point of view, after all, all she has seen is only drama since she started working on this movie.

And secretly, almost everybody was actually planning on mixing business with pleasure in this party.

Haley has considered to skip it taking Jamie as an excuse, but it didn't take a lot of time from her friends to convince her that she deserves some fun even for one night.

Haley had a plan in mind though; she for sure couldn't let go of what Lucas has said earlier, and she has grabbed the first opportunity to corner him into telling her what he meant, Lucas had told her that maybe she should actually talk to Nathan himself, after all, it wasn't his place to say anything in the first place. Haley didn't like that and tried to guilt him, but, he didn't budge, he never did anyway, so, Haley was planning on doing it, and since she never brought herself to do it on set, she somehow thought a party would be a nice place to talk to her ex from seven years about their son.

While it was probably not the brightest ideas of Haley's, but she was convinced it was, and even though she hit the party with her two best friends, she quickly found herself wandering away with her eyes trying to catch sight of Nathan.

And sure enough, he was there, sitting on a bar stool with the some guy who was chatting nonstop while Nathan kept nodded obviously uninterested. She observed the scene until the guy noted he wasn't gaining the enthusiasm he's waiting for from him and nicely excused himself to go find someone else to hang with, and like a cheetah, Haley knew it was the right moment to attack her prey.

"Hey." She said slipping into the stool next him, the one that was only moments earlier was taken by a guy Nathan wasn't so keen of, but right now, he wanted the guy back.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "What are the new instructions?" he asked his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"No instructions." She shook her head with a frown; she didn't like the way he's talking, but she had to excuse him, she needed to understand it all. "I want to talk."

"Talk?" he gawked, "About what?"

"Well, Lucas said something the other day…" she started after cleaning her throat.

He gave a humorless chuckle, "Of course he did!" he knew Lucas wasn't telling him the whole truth, but he just let it go, he knew his brother was going to middle one way or the other, he knew it since he saw him talking to Jamie one time and he knew that Haley didn't have a go at him like she did with the father; he knew that Lucas would just see it unfair. The thing is, Nathan didn't want him middling, in fact, he didn't want anything at all when it comes to the case of his long-lost son.

"He didn't say much; that's why I want to talk to you…" Haley nervously said, he has to say it caught him off guard, the whole time they have only ignored each other's presence or if they absolutely had to acknowledge it they would send glares that Nathan has completely forgotten Haley had a soft side, a vulnerable one. She gulped and ran a hand through her hair before resting it in the back of her neck, and that is how Nathan knew she's nervous and hesitant, if he was completely honest with himself he would admit that it fascinated him that she still acquires some habits that he's familiar with.

"Well, I don't think there's anything to talk about, but, what the hell, it could pass time at this…" he trailed off pouting his lips in disinterest looking around.

Haley didn't know where to start or how, and in times like this, she always tend to be straight forward, "He said you think I'm the one who didn't want you in my life." She said looking at him waiting for a reaction.

Nathan however kept staring back at her blankly failing to see her problem, "Yeah?" he urged her to continue.

"Well, do you?" she stated the obvious.

"Yeah?" he squinted as if speaking facts.

She frowned sitting up straight in her seat, "Why would you think that?"

"Okay, Haley, it's one thing to actually tell me to stay away from my son –yeah, he's my son too- but to come and question right afterwards why I think you want what you specifically just asked of me… you're either crazy or a hypocrite, and personally I think you're both."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she stood up with big eyes and took a step back with her arms held in front of her chest, "Hold your horses, big guy! First, I only told you to stay away recently, after seven freaking years I think it's pretty established you want out already, you wanted out the minute I told you I'm pregnant."

He stared at her for a minute his blood was boiling in his veins, he was so close to scream in her face that she's the one who refused to let him in, however, clenching and unclenching his fists several times and a couple of deep breathes allowed him to hold his words in, "You know what, you're absolutely right!"

He got up and turned around on his heel taking big steps, "Hey!" Haley called after him trying to catch up, "We're not done talking."

"I think we are." He said not stopping as he headed towards the door, "It's all too lame anyway."

"Nathan, stop right now." For a moment she scolded him like she would do her son, but however kept chasing after him to the outside and into the cold summer breeze.

Nathan's only reply was a scoff as he walked up towards his car counting on her to give up and let him leave; she's proven she's good at that anyway. But, as he got in his car, and as she kept asking him to stop and listen and him ignoring her frankly as he started his car and started backing out of Julian's driveway, he was surprised when his passenger door was opened and she slipped into the seat next him slamming the door shut, "What the hell are you doing?" he screamed unsure if it's because she got in his car in the first place or because she slammed his door.

She looked at him with a pissed look, "I am talking to you!"

"And I am not."

"We're not done, Nathan, don't be a fucking child."

"You're not respecting my wishes and I'm the child; right, crazy hypocrite bitc-"

"Don't you even dare, Nathan." She glared with a warning finger.

He rolled his eyes, "Get out of the car, Haley!"

"No, I'm not, Nathan, we barely said anything!"

"Well, I said you're right! Now, get out."

"I said no."

"Fine. Don't." Nathan crashed his foot hitting the gas backing out of Julian's driveway in a second before hitting brakes sending Haley's body to impulsively fly back and forth, before he drove out of the gates with the same speed hitting the road completely ignoring her protests.

"Nathan, slow the fuck down!"

He remained silent with his frown as he only focused ahead on the road not slowing down for a moment as he passed between other cars.

"If you keep this you'll get a freaking speeding ticket!" she continued trying to talk some sense into him but it looked like he wasn't even listening. "Nathan, it's a red light. Red light, Nathan slow down!" she screamed as Nathan broke the light while the other cars hit their brakes horning in protest.

Haley saw the road was empty so she took it as her opportunity to take an action as she pulled the handbrakes forcing Nathan to stop the speeding car as it turned and he barely controlled it stopping on the side of the road.

"What the hell, Haley?!" he exclaimed.

"Are you fucking trying to kill me? Well, unlike yourself, I have a son to live for!"

He gave an angry sarcastic chuckle, "Unlike me? Do you think you're self-reproductive?"

"Oh, excuse my miss-judging, but as I remember you've only participated with your sperm."

"And whose fault is that?"

"You see, Nathan, I keep failing to see how you think it's mine."

"That's because you're self-centered, Haley."

She let out a high-pitched short laugh, "Me? Self-centered? You're the one who said and I quote, that I purposely got pregnant to tie you down, didn't you, Nathan?"

"God, you're such a hypocrite." He whined in disbelief, "I was fucking shocked, and I apologized like thousand times, but you still went on having me thinking that you aborted, and decided to secretly have my baby anyway."

"Upon your own wishes, Mr. Scott! I thought you wanted absolutely nothing to come between you and your precious game."

"You see that's the thing about you, Haley James, you don't hear a single voice but your own."

She gawked, "What, are you trying to tell me you somehow had another thought?"

He gave her an uneasy look, "What? Would that be so hard to believe?"

"Yeah, right!" she gave a sarcastic laugh and shook her head, she expected a comeback or insult back from him but he said nothing and instead looked the other way out of his window. "Wait, are you being serious?"

He still said nothing.

"Nathan? Answer me." She demanded, "Was there something that you didn't tell me?"

He said nothing again.

"Nathan, I'm talking to you, please, answer me!"

"Would it fucking matter?" he snapped slamming the wheel as he gave a huff.

"It would."

"No, it wouldn't. What is done is done and nothing can change now."

"Oh my God, you did!" she concluded. "Did you want the baby, Nathan?"

"It's not important what I wanted, Haley, you decided for me anyway, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't." she frowned, "I only did what you told me you wanted yourself."

"No, you told me you did so, and instead went to do your own thing."

"God! Because you freaking accused me of ruining your life, you said I was selfishly getting in the way of your dreams, you pulled a classic Scott on me, Nathan, and proved you're just like Dan."

"So, you decided to be the Karen to my Dan." He spat with a chuckle.

"As a matter of fact, yes!" she frowned defensively, "History repeated itself exactly, except that Lucas wasn't a Keith and instead you were two Dans in progress!"

"Oh my God, quit being a dramatic victim, cause you're not, Haley!" he spat in an annoyed tone.

"No, I'm not being a damn victim, I'm only stating truth, and the truth is you didn't want me and the baby to hold you back from your precious career, and look at you, you're already a successful basketball player, Nathan, which is fine, great even, but you don't get to blame things on me."

"God, Haley, I called you the day you were supposed to do it, you never picked up! I even went there. And later you told me you already did it. You said it was over, and I… I thought there was no point of speaking about it. It's… It's… Ugh!" He screamed nonsense.

She paused for a moment processing what he was saying as he panted in anger before she spoke softly, "Nathan," she gulped, "what were you going to tell me?"

He paused catching his breath; at this point he was so tired of this conversation, of the overflow of painful mix of memories, thoughts and feelings, "That perhaps we should re-consider everything again." He admitted in a low voice.

A pain-filled noise of realization escaped her mouth as she covered her face with her hands, "Oh my God, Nathan! Why did you never tell me this?"

He rolled his eyes finally looking at her again, "You never listened!"

"You accused me o-"

"And I apologized."

"Maybe you did, just not enough."

"Not enough? I apologized like a thousand time, Haley, how-"

"Not as in how many, Nathan." She said on the verge of tears, "Just how!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She shook her head, "If you really wanted the baby, maybe just maybe you should have tried harder, Nathan, maybe you should have reached out. You had seven freaking years to do it and you still didn't, so, you don't just show up and claim you have a right pinning it all on me just because for a second, you wanted to _re-consider_ and didn't even fucking bother to run it by me!"

With that being said, and without giving him the chance to reply, and with a sob, she exited the car slamming the door behind her once again as she walked the other direction to get a cap trying to escape this new founded pain.

**XxXxXx**

Chris Keller wasn't an original resident of Tree Hill, he was kinda an annoying bohemian musician on the road, he came to Tree Hill around the end of their junior year, and Nathan ran into him at Tric, he was pulling a regular Chris Keller as he was promoting himself as the next mega star, and even though it sounded a lame narcissistic joke back then, Chris surprisingly made it.

Nathan had bragged that his girlfriend has a great voice and Chris he eventually introduced them bringing it all upon himself for Chris Keller being a cocky boaster flirting nonstop, Nathan had to punch him, Lucas had to punch him, their friend Skillz had sent him a few unspeakable insults before they had to stop him from beating him, Peyton had slapped him, and he received constant scolding from everyone, and the most annoying part is that it seemed to only feed his ego.

Despite all of this, there was a certain mysterious sense of familiarity when it comes to having to work with Chris Keller once again. Needless to say that when he met them while working on this movie, he greeted them like they were his old gang proving to have never changed one bit.

When it was decided to make a duet song, and since Chris was the protagonist, it was kinda obvious that he was taking the male part in the song, alone with Haley, the main singer in the movie.

"Haley, Haley, Haley," He approached her while she was having a short conversation with a co-worker and swung his arm around her shoulder, "Here we go again, just like the old times."

Haley rolled her eyes reminding herself to kill Lucas later for writing a duet. "Yay, so fun!" she said with zero enthusiasm.

"Come on!" he complained, "You know we sound amazing together, people will love to hear us again. And just so you know, singing with Chris Keller would boast your music career before it even starts."

"Lucky me."

"Sure you are." He said tapping her nose, "Hey, Nate." He called seeing Nathan passing by going towards his room, "Nice shirt."

Nathan stopped for a second and looked over seeing him wrapping an arm around Haley's shoulder and she seemed relaxed back earning a frown from him, "Yeah, whatever." He shrugged him completely off and continued walking away.

"Yikes! Someone is a scratchy cat today." Chris called after him as Nathan without turning around gave him the finger. "Ah, he loves me." He commented before turning to Haley, "I have to ask though, is he your baby's daddy?"

Haley widened her eyes before walking herself out of his touch, "That is literally none of your business."

"I'm just asking, doing the math, he has to be. Unless-" he gasped, "Haley James, did you cheat on your bae?"

"What?"

"Well, there has to be a reason you're not together. Besides, I know you must have not really got over Chris Keller when he left."

"Do you seriously still talk about yourself as a third person?" she frowned rolling her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" he narrowed his eyes, "Hey, Nate," he called as Nathan was coming back from his room; he reluctantly stopped walking with an eye roll, "Are you the dada?"

"W- Fuck off, man."

"Look, it's either you or Lucas; the poor kid has the genes."

"Ew, Chris!" Haley exclaimed.

"Do you ever shut up, Keller?" Nathan rolled his eyes one again.

"Dude, I'm just catching up with old pals."

"Yeah, except nobody liked you." He said and purposely gave a head nod towards Haley.

"Ouch." Chris faked a hurt expression, "Well, anyway, I'm not going to hold it against you, I know you're mad." He gave him a knowing smirk that Nathan thought actually has a meaning.

"Yeah, whatever." He said walking back to whatever he had to do, and on walking by, he stepped a little closer to Haley pushing her slightly as he passed.

Haley's mouth fell due to the childish act, "Watch your steps, Scott."

"Get out of my way, James." He replied back with a mischievous grin.

"Oh. Chris Keller likes drama." He commented with a genuine grin as Haley rolled her eyes at him and walked away.

After the day in his car, Haley and Nathan have kinda declared war, they stopped ignoring each other, but they also were by no means being civil, since everything was out on the clear, they have made it obvious that each of them stand by their original grounds and sticking to his/her view of their issue.

Haley had to stick around for a while for a meeting, it was later than she usually leaves, and Jamie was once again with Brooke until they were done, and Chris was taking his time in there driving everyone else nuts, but eventually it was over.

Hand in hand with her son, she was exhausted as she walked out of the building, and she was overwhelmed to be suddenly attacked by a bunch of people shoving microphones in her face and asking numerous questions that she wasn't able to get most of, but she heard words like Chris Keller, come back, where have you been, and she understood that somehow they have heard she's singing with Chris. Problem is, she wasn't going to answer any of their questions, and she also didn't know how to get out of the sea of people.

She had wide eyes as she tried to push around them tightening her grip over her son's hand, and when she felt like they were slipping away from each other, she leant down picking him up in her arms. Jamie was also as struck as she was; neither mother nor son faced such a situation before.

"Are you people blind? Don't you see you're terrorizing a little kid?" a firm grip curled around her arm pulling her through the mass, the reporters stopped their actions for a mere second before jumping up again with a punch of whole new questions as Haley stared down clutching her son closer to her while being shielded by the masculine body of her savior.

"Get in." she was told as the car door was opened for her, and she didn't think twice before she got and her son was taken away from her and replaced in the backseat, and it wasn't long before he drove away through the crowd and hit the road.

Haley's mind was frozen. She didn't know what to make out of the whole situation, she was just going towards her car to go home with her son and relax, like every other day and suddenly, she found herself in a situation that she only heard about vaguely and never thought could happen to her.

"I'm in Nathan Scott's car. Awesome." Jamie exclaimed once he was over the original shock and focused on what's important.

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle, "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." He nodded, "Maybe one day I'll get a car just like it."

"You will." He assured and then turned uneasily to the girl turned woman next him, "Where do you want me to drop you at?"

"The bus station would be good." She said in a low voice after clearing her throat.

"I could drive you home if you want."

"No, that's not necessary, they are gone anyway."

Nathan didn't insist anymore, he was almost as shocked as Haley was, he was also just going home when he walked out of the building to find paparazzi attacking them and he acted impulsively, unlike her, he had dealt with those kinds of situations a lot, and he know just how suffocating it is; he never thought he'd willingly walk himself through a crowd of reports anyway, yet, he just did.

Once he pulled over, Haley quietly got out of the car and turned to get her son, "Thanks, Mr. Scott." Jamie said before slipping out of the car.

"Just call me Nathan."

"Okay, thanks, Nathan." He grinned widely.

"Thanks." Haley whispered to him in an awkward low voice from the still opened back door. With his head turned towards her, he stared at her for a second he opened his mouth to answer but then closed it again looking back ahead of him.

"Just don't slam the door." He muttered loud enough for her to hear and for a reason she found it funny as she civilly closed the car door with a smile that he didn't see.

**XxXxXx**

Haley didn't know what happened, but she was vexed, it must be working with Lucas and actually starting to get along with him melting the ice between them slowly that got her feeling nostalgic and craving her old school days, or maybe it was the rumors that suddenly started after that day with paparazzi about her and Nathan, it didn't also take them long to track them down to their hometown finding out that they indeed come from the same place.

Rumors always come and go, but she didn't know that it would come for her so soon, it bothered her that her son would be involved in theories by people that know nothing, absolutely nothing, they even merely brought Lucas' name in their theories, and if he didn't have rumors of his own she was sure he'd be more involved.

She was bothered, but, there was something… something twisted inside her, and it made her uncomfortable, it was like sudden information that just got installed in her system, and it came with additional feelings.

She heard that it was Nathan's last day in set; he was done with his scenes, which weren't so many to begin with, however, for some reason her utter and complete refusal of him which was unfair in the first place wasn't there anymore. Wither she liked it or not, the day that he pulled her away from the reporters, reminded Haley of the old Nathan, the one she liked and loved –back in the day that is.

"Nathan," she caught up with him when he was leaving his room to shoot his last indoor scene.

He stopped and looked over at her with intense eyes and the poker face look that he accompanied with a frown on his forehead making him look tougher than ever.

She approached him, "I never thanked you properly for that day."

He gave a nod, "Anyone would have done the same; it wasn't specifically for you."

And there went the Nathan she knew and once loved down the drains.

She gave a frown obviously offended, "Well, good to know you're still just a gentle man." She said sarcastically.

He offered a fake smile, "Ah, if only it pays me back."

She deepened her frown, "Really, Nathan? Do you really have to be such an ass and ruin it?"

"Ruin what exactly?"

For the first time she felt her cheeks gaining a crimson color; yeah, ruin what? What was she thinking really? That they would start getting along now?

"I… I am here thanking you for something nice you did and you are being a jerk about it."

"Well, Ms. James, you're welcome, but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't do it for you, it's what I would have done for anyone else…" Nathan was lying; when he saw her there looking like a deer lost in the headlights, he felt an old instinct he had acquired long time ago of protecting her, and protect her he did. "And for your son who doesn't have to deal with this now, so, you need to be more careful when he's with you by the way." He has wanted to tell her to take better care when Jamie's with her and he just let it out in a snap which he saw was appropriate.

Haley crossed her arms shifting from one foot to another getting worked up at him telling her what to do, even in such a childish way, "Do you think you can tell me how to take care of my son? You don't-"

"Haley!" a voice screamed her name causing both heads to fly towards the cameraman rushing her way, "It's Jamie! He fell down the stairs."

"Jamie!" she gasped and was instantly running after the man who was showing her the way unaware that Nathan was hot on her tail until she saw him kneeling down beside her as the few crowd around made way for her to access her son on the couch resting his head on Brooke's lap.

"Hey, are you okay, buddy?" she whispered softly as Brooke removed the pad she was holding against his chin to show a bleeding cut.

"I'm okay, momma." He said obviously in a dizzy state.

"I'm so sorry, Haley, it's my fault, he kept running and I was trying to get him to stop and slow down. I'm so sorry." Brooke cried.

"We're taking him to the hospital." Nathan spoke, "It needs stitching." He got up and extended his arms carrying the little boy in his arms.

Haley's mind processed an error; what was happening was against all the things that she believed, had she not seen the worry in his eyes and the way he just took the decision on his own, she would have never believed Nathan Scott had a hidden fatherly side behind all the toughness and stubbornness.

At the hospital, once Jamie was taken care of and was in the good hands of the nurse who just checked all his vitals, Haley left the room promising to be back in a second, she saw Nathan waiting like she has expected but it still took her off guard.

"Is he okay?" he asked her.

"He's fine, Nathan, it's just a cut. Kids get them all the time." She assured him, this was a situation that she was familiar with, it's not like she doesn't take care of Jamie, but, it's still unavoidable anyway. "Thank you, though. Again."

"I-"

"Yeah, you did what you would have normally done." She finished the sentence for him.

He nodded even though it wasn't exactly what he was going to say; he in fact was going to say that he panicked, "Mainly for Jamie." He muttered.

She heard him, but, she still didn't understand what was going on, however she decided to follow her hunch, "You can see him if you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, sure." She offered a small awkward smile and Nathan looked at the door of Jamie's room hesitantly for a moment before taking a deep breath and entering the room.

Haley was definitely lost. For the second time in a row, and while they are doing what they normally do –which is fighting; all forms of it- Nathan jumps to the rescue like a knight in the shining armor.

"Hey!" Brooke called as she appeared in the hallway approaching her, "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, Brooke."

"God, I'm so sorry, Haley, I-"

"It's okay, Brooke, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is, I was supposed to take better care of him, you trusted me around him and-"

"Hey, hey, don't beat yourself about it; kids just do what they gotta do. It's not your fault."

"So, you're not mad at me?"

"Of course not."

"Am I still allowed to babysit him?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course you are. You're my favorite sitter. Kelly always cancels for a reason or the other and Peyton always give him candy." She rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

"Yeah, Haley… we all do that."

"What?"

"Yeah, everyone. Peyton, me, Karen, your mother… even Luke the other day."

Haley stared back at her and Brooke had to bite back her laugh and eventually she let out a groan, "Great, fool mother of the year." She dramatically pointed at herself.

Brooke laughed, "What are you doing out here anyway?"

Haley nodded her head towards the small foggy glass window and Brooke followed her look to see Nathan sitting beside Jamie's bed and they seemed to be talking about something that eventually led to pumping fists.

"Is that Nathan?"

"It is."

Brooke was speechless, but, unlike Haley, Brooke had seen it coming, she saw what was happening from outside and she saw how Nathan kept eyeing the infant -or his mother- whenever he was on set, at first she thought she was seeing things, but it was undeniable that Nathan Scott was curious about the kid that he made seven years ago.

Brooke's job had her dealing with Nathan the most, and even though she had no direct problem with him, but she was still mad about how things have turned out, and it took both of them time to stop the one-worded sentences and evolve into longer ones. And as a bystander, Brooke was even madder now at this exact moment for the way things are turning out.

When Nathan left the room and Haley entered instead, Nathan was leaving when Brooke called his name, "It's nice of you… what you did."

He shook his head, "It's what anyone would-" he started off with his practiced line.

She rolled her eyes cutting him off, "Stop it, Nathan. I'm not Haley."

"I don't know what you're talking about." This was practically the most personal Brooke have got with him in seven years.

"Look, I don't know what exactly went down between the two of you recently," she in fact did, "but, it's so obvious that you care,"

"Care?" he gawked.

"Yes! Care!" she mimicked him, "You do care… at least about Jamie, and don't dare even denying it. It's written all over your NPA player face."

Nathan was glad to know that Brooke haven't changed that much, but not exactly when he was on the receiving end of one of her Brooke-confrontation.

"So? He's a little boy who had an accident that-"

"He's not just a little boy, Nathan."

"Fine, Brooke, he's _my_ kid! So? What's your point now?"

"That you care, Nathan, and knowing you, you're too stubborn to even see it, but it's true, and even if you're mad at Haley, don't do this to yourself and your son."

"Do what exactly?"

"Well, for a start, quit playing dumb," she smirked, "and actually don't deny him the opportunity to have a father who really cares, a father who has a tendency to be a good one."

"Brooke," he shook his head, "You don't even know what you're saying, almost two months ago, I haven't even met him, I just faced the fact that I do have a son, a whole other person."

"I understand." She nodded actually seeing the Nathan Scott she has always known. "And I'm not saying to take him fishing tomorrow or to start planning for his college, but, you do want to know him, Nathan, I can see it, in fact I bet everyone can see it. So, do it, start there."

"It's not that easy. Even if I want to, Haley doesn't want me any closer."

"I think we can agree that she has doesn't exactly think so anymore."

"I… I don't know…"

"Look, I know, it's a lot right now, Nathan, I do. But, listen what's between you and Haley should stay between you and her, don't let it affect what you could have with Jamie." She said putting an understanding hand over his arm, "At least think about it?"

He eventually nodded, "Yeah,"

"Good. He's a precious little one, and he's got some serious Scott genes." She pointed out as Nathan chuckled.

"I think I can see that."

"You have to be blind not to, but I'm not just talking about the looks. You'll see when you get to know him more." She winked at him before turning around and entering Jamie's room. Brooke just did the trick; she always knew how to get a guy excited wanting more, whatever the case is, and she just played on his own need and curiosity giving him the smallest tip of what's awaiting him on getting to know the little boy.

**XxXxXx**

"I'll get it momma." Jamie said excitedly on hearing the doorbell ring.

"No, you stay and finish your meal, young man." She said knowing he's trying to get out of finishing his food; she has always had a problem with him eating vegetables. She went on and opened the door herself.

"This is an intervention." Brooke and Peyton burst in holding a box of ice-cream.

"Hey, little one." They high-fived the boy as Peyton slipped him a small pack of ice-cream.

"I know veggies don't taste that good." She said as he beamed at her.

"Well, mommy doesn't care." Haley said as she took the ice-cream back from him sending a glare towards the blond who shrugged.

"Please, momma." He pleaded.

"No!"

"Please, please." He said giving a puppy-dog face.

"Yeah, please, momma." Her two best friends joined lining up next him mirroring his face.

Haley rolled her eyes, "Alright. But, only if you finish your whole meal."

"Deal." He said with a big smile and started eating once again.

"So, shouldn't you two be working or something?" she asked the two girls as Brooke took out three spoons placing the box on the counter and handing each one a spoon.

"Yeah, whatever."

"What? What happened?" Her friends loved what they were doing and they were committed to their jobs, but 'L'amour rouge' hasn't been treating any of the three girls mercifully; from the mini high-school re-union to the rumors and scandals following the three of them everywhere; especially at the set.

"Nothing," Peyton shrugged, "We decided that nothing is more important than an old fashioned intervention with our best friend." She said hanging an arm around Brooke's shoulder and the other around Haley's.

"Okay, what about this intervention thing?" Haley frowned crossing her arms over her chest giving them both a look. "And why is there ice-cream? Who has a broken heart?"

"Ha," Peyton scoffed, "Who doesn't?"

Brooke shook her head with an eye roll while Haley frowned, "I don't." They both gave her a look. "What? I don't." she insisted.

"All done." Jamie exclaimed with a big smile.

"Good job, Jamie Jam, now why don't you take your ice cream and go watch cartoons?"

"Can I, momma?"

"Go on, son."

"YES." He exclaimed and ran off with his ice-cream.

"Don't run, Jamie!" Haley instructed after him but he was already gone. "So?" she asked the two intruders.

"We think you should give Nathan a second chance."

"What?"

"He deserves it, Haley, and you know it."

"What second chance?"

Peyton and Brooke shared a look before looking back at her, "You know he wants to be in Jamie's life." Brooke started.

"What's with that look?" she ignored what she said.

"Haley…" Peyton gave her a look, "You said he told you he's always wanted to be there."

"No. He said he wanted to _re-consider_ an abortion." She lowered her voice not wanting Jamie to hear a word checking on him to see him gluing his eyes to the TV.

"Same thing, Hales!" Brooke said digging her spoon in the ice-cream box directly.

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is, he wanted to stop you from doing it, and before you say it, he never reached out to you because he thought you're the one who didn't want him around."

"So, you're saying it's my fault now?"

They rolled their eyes at her, "No, we're saying that you two are stupid fucking assholes." Brooke spat.

"Hey!" Haley protested.

"It's true." Peyton concurred.

"And how is that?"

"Because, honey, you two are too stubborn for your own good, but, newsflash, it's not about just the two of you anymore." Peyton said and Haley didn't answer so she sighed and continued, "Haley, you know we support you no matter what, alright? But, we can't also watch you take a wrong decision… or more like not take a right one and stand to watch."

"Yeah, Haley, you know that Nathan cares, don't tell me you didn't see it."

"Okay, let's say you're right. It will be great for them to get along. But, what if he's not actually interested? What if it's only a spur of the moment that would go away once he finds himself something else to do?"

"Like what?"

"I dunno, like basketball?" she spat sarcastically.

"Haley, basketball is not the other woman in this scenario."

"Isn't it?"

"No, it's not, you always knew Nathan as a player, and it was never a problem."

"No, Brooke, it turned into a problem when he was ready to move up from a school basketball player to a real one!"

"Yes, maybe ostensibly, but, even then basketball wasn't the real problem, Hales."

"Then what was genius?" she snapped at the blond.

"Your stubbornness. Both of you."

Haley stayed silent for a while, "Even if, this still doesn't prove he has an actual interest; I can't do this to Jamie, I can't let him know that his favorite player turned personal superhero is in fact also his real father and then have him disappearing on him again, do you know how he'll be crushed?"

"Then why don't you talk to Nathan about it?"

"And tell him what? Hey, Nate, don't you want to know your son?"

"Yes?"

Haley rolled her eyes, "Hate to remind you that he actually said he doesn't want anything to do with us."

"Uh, hate to remind _you_ that this was before he confessed never wanting to give him up _and_ that you were telling him not come near his son."

"And since then, he has saved you and Jamie twice, Hales." Peyton put in reminding her too.

"Funny, I thought saving was a Lucas thing."

"Haley!" Brooke scolded.

"Well, I guess it's a Scott thing." Peyton said.

"Sorry, that was totally inappropriate." Haley shook her head her guilt kicking in.

"Well, besides stubbornness, this is another trait that you share with Nathan."

"What is that?"

"Getting your anger out the wrong way." Peyton smirked.

"I… you… I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Hales. The point is, Jamie is growing up fast, and he's going to ask soon about his father, and, the truth is he has already met him… so, when he asks, don't you want to at least have a solid answer?"

"What do you mean?"

"Talk to him, Haley." Brooke told her, "Talk and figure it out, see for yourself, if he does want to be in your lives, you'll know, if he doesn't you'll know it. And either ways, you would be doing the right thing…"

Haley bit her lip thoughtfully as she ran a hand through her hair resting it on the back of her neck, the truth is, she has thought about that, she has been having this whole debate with herself over and over, and she never could reach a decision, there was a part that thought maybe Nathan does want to be there, and the other that still holds everything against him. In a minute she thinks that maybe he does really care, the second she says maybe he does but he's not yet ready, and then she brushes it all away thinking that he never cared.

The most sensible solution though, was to talk to him… but it was also the scariest.

"Do you want the truth?" she sighed out.

"Please,"

"I have been thinking about it all for a while."

"Oh, really? Why did you let us do all the talking here then?"

"Because I needed an argument. Brooke, I go through this debate every second of every day. It's not easy… but, you just voiced it for me. I needed to hear that." She said gratefully.

"Aw, Hales, we'll be happy to give you a reality check anytime you need."

"Yeah, or a slap on the face." Peyton added with a chuckle as Haley playfully shoved her shoulder.

"I suppose I should talk to him?"

"It's up to you, but, yes, that would be good."

"God, it's scary." She said resting her temple on her fingertips.

"I know it is." Brooke nodded, "But, you would at least know where you stand. It's time for you to let your guards down, Haley. For your son."

Haley nodded, when she put it like that, it sounds like the only option; she has to do it. They were right, Jamie is going to ask sooner or later, and she needs to have an answer, she needs to be ready to know what to tell him exactly, if Nathan really wants to be there for him –for them, then maybe she wouldn't need to wait until Jamie asks, maybe they will tell him the truth after all… but if he doesn't want to, then she will have to figure out what exactly to tell her son when he asks without breaking his heart.

"There's a problem though." She voiced lowly.

"What?"

"We are not able to hold a conversation." she said uneasily earning a couple of laughters.

"It's not funny!" she complained, "It's like impossible, there's so much anger to handle a civil conversation."

"Come on, Haley! You? You're like the most diplomatic understanding person I've ever known."

"Well, not this time around."

"You still love him, don't you?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"What?"

"You do!" Brooke exclaimed.

"No! I don't."

"Yeah, sure." Peyton nodded obviously unconvinced, "Anyway, if you want to get him talking then get him beer… or wine if you want." She said adding a smirk.

"You want me to get him drunk?"

"Not drunk." She rolled her eyes, "But, drink, Nathan softens and opens up when he's relaxed, and he's relaxed when he drinks."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, jealous-ass, aside the fact that I _did_ use to date him, he actually rang me to check up on me after… you know everything that happened, and he came to the studio and we shared a couple of beers and instead of comforting me he ended up talking about himself."

"That does sound like him."

"See? You still know him."

"Don't we all?" Haley frowned at Brooke's lame attempt to prove her love to her ex.

"Not like you do." She shrugged.

"I have an idea." Haley bit her lip.

"What?"

"Well," she shifted, "I don't wanna go to his house again; that would be actually very awkward, even more than the last time, he basically kicked me out, besides, Lucas will probably be there…"

"So, what do you wanna do?"

"Talk to him in set?"

"Yeah, but Nathan is done with his scenes, he doesn't come anymore." Brooke said confused.

"I know, but, I guess there's a way we can get him back."

"What is it?"

Haley smiled mischievously at them –Brooke specifically- as she started thinking about the upcoming events and how it will turn out.

**XxXxXx**

Nathan was hiding, he hates to admit it, but he was. He was relieved that his part was done, he was done with 'L'amour rouge', and now his life can get back to normal, he can forget it ever happened, he can get back to his life, his game, and work his way back out of the injury… or so he hoped.

He hoped to be able to live past it all, it was just another movie, another side project he had when he couldn't really play basketball due to an injury that he had nothing to do about. That's all it was. He can live with that, he can go back to his plan; never letting anything distract him, he can do it.

Well, he can do it, but only if that it was only just a project, if he hadn't seen his son for the first time, if he hadn't spoken to him, if he hadn't seen and secretly admired the fact that he is a big fan of him; somehow granting himself the title of the most important fan. He found himself planning to work hard and play the best he could just not to disappoint Jamie, and once he caught himself thinking that way, it scared him, and it ached his heart.

He didn't understand what happened, but, he has lived the past seven years knowing that he has a son out there, and it was no problem, he knew he existed and yet he was able to not think about him and focus solely on his career, so, what happened? What difference does meeting him make? Well, sure he occasionally wondered how he looks like, how he sounds, if he knows about him, if he likes basketball or any other sport, what does he like and dislike, he wondered, and sure he sometimes, imagine himself teaching him new stuff, like riding a bike, like making a ball go into the hoop, like getting a girl, but it was no big deal… it's only normal to want a family someday, just not today or any other day soon, he always knew that, and he only wanted to be the great player he is now, that player that someday his son could be proud of and –oh!

Realization hit Nathan like a bucket of ice over his head; apparently, meeting Jamie makes all the difference, he has seen him and seen how he actually is the one player Jamie could be proud of, but only as a role-model, as some player he looks up to, not as his father, the one man he would look up to, point at and proudly claim that it's his dad, the one making glorious victories.

Apparently meeting Jamie makes all the differences and now Nathan wants to be his dad. For real.

He had told Brooke that he would think about it, and since then, he has been hiding and trying to convince himself that life can go back to normal, and the more he tries, the hardest it gets to believe.

But, no more lies, he does want to be in Jamie's life. He has always wanted, and sure, he was mad at Haley- still is, for keeping him away, and that's why he never really reached out, but can he really resist the boy now? Can he stay away from him just because he's mad at his mother?

The answer is no, as a matter of fact, he's not even that mad at Haley anymore, he still thinks it was her fault and all, and he's never going to change his mind, he's never going to forgive her, especially after meeting his son, after realizing he's missed a lot already in his life, but, Haley has done an amazing job obviously bringing this kid up, he can see her sacrifices for him, he can see that he's her priority just like he deducted before, and actually, Haley is still Haley. It's not only his son that he recently met, he has also met the woman who kept his heart unsettled all those years, who had him on edge this whole time, secretly and deep down waiting for her to just surface up and say she misses him; making a part of his rage towards her now the fact that when she walked back into his life, it wasn't by her choice, it was a situation that they both had to deal with, she doesn't want him back, she has done a good job without him already, and as proud as he was of her, as jealous as he was that he wasn't there, and that she didn't need him.

Nathan's head was a big mess of thoughts and contradicting emotions, and every few minutes, he found himself cursing Julian for starting this whole mess with his brilliant movie.

Is it even possible for him to walk in Jamie's life just like that?_ 'Hi, Jamie, I'm your dad? Yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't around before, but I was mad at mommy?'_ How in the hell is it going to work? Jamie is a smart kid, and he wouldn't blame him if he never forgave him; after all, there's a part of Nathan himself that can't forgive himself, just like eh can't forgive Dan, is it going to be like father like son? Well, Nathan has successfully walked in Dan's path until this point… maybe it's for Jamie's own good that he never gets to know his father's family history? It's all too complicated!

His head is going to explode at some point from the over-thinking he's got himself engulfed in. However, he's hiding and it doesn't seem like he would be able to reach a decision anytime soon, so, he was over the edge with rage when he got a phone call from Julian.

Julian seemed persistent on ruining his life specifically, even though he pretty much ruined everyone else's, but Nathan has already a lot on his plate, he didn't need Julian to call him and ask him for another shooting when he was already done. Apparently, something shitty happened that Nathan didn't bother to hear about when he was too busy arguing and cussing, and the result is, he's needed for a couple more shots.

It wasn't easy for Haley to get him back there, her initial plan was to ask Brooke to do something and convince Julian to bring him there again and he would have done anything for her, however Brooke didn't like the idea, she pretty much threw a fuss at the mere mention of Julian and she knew what Haley was hinting at when she said 'do something to convince him' so she thought she deserves a good smack on the back of the head.

Peyton on the other hand didn't think it's a bright idea anyway, Julian wouldn't just throw money in the air and re-make a scene that was perfectly fine, so, she adjusted the plan with Haley and instead, both worked on convincing both Julian and the director to bring Nathan back for additional shots that would look good with the songs, and even though they already had a vision, eventually they were able to do it, and Julian called Nathan.

Haley really had one shot, only one to make a good conversation with Nathan, she always knew timing was important when it comes to serious talks, and she was planning on choosing the right one, however, when Nathan was there, it seemed kind of impossible to catch a good timing; when Nathan arrived his temper came along and it wasn't a decent one.

She had to wait until he was done with his shots that were repeatedly interrupted or delayed due to his constant snapping, cursing and glaring, so, at the end of the day, when he entered his room thinking that he has almost made it without running into Haley she knocked and entered the room.

This was exactly what he didn't know how to deal with, he was nervous the whole day and wanted to get it over with because he didn't want to have to deal with her while he has no idea how he feels about her anymore.

"Hi," she nervously spoke as she closed the door behind her.

"Hey," his voice came out shaky so he cleared his throat.

"Um, are you okay? You almost chopped Chris' head off." She added a nervous chuckle and he gave an equally nervous smile.

"Yeah, he tends to be annoying, I don't know how you put up with him." He shook his head, "Speaking of, um, your song, it's amazing, Haley." The duet has just come out and it was going viral, maybe that's why Chris annoyed him the most today.

"Thank you. Lucas and Peyton did a good job."

He frowned, "But, it's your voice that made their work meaningful." He always hated it when she underestimated her talent back then.

She smiled seeing he still comes to put her where she deserves –at least where he thinks she deserves- and the fact that he still thinks she deserves anything at all, "Thank you, Nathan."

He suddenly realized that this was the most civil conversation they have had, and it made him feel awkward, he didn't like how naturally it came and how it's going, he cleared his throat once again, "So, what are you doing here?"

She shifted uncomfortably finding interest in a strand of hair twisting it around her finger, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you."

"Talk?" he gulped.

"Yes, Nathan, we can't pretend this never happened." She shrugged and he needn't question more, it's obvious he has to handle a conversation he's dreading.

"Haley, I don't think it's necessary-" at least he could try though.

"No, Nathan, I for a fact can't ignore that you told me that you had seconds thoughts about the baby –our baby, seven years ago." She said and took a deep breath, this was by no means easy for Haley, she was letting her guards down and she had to do it for her son, "Did you mean that, Nathan?"

"What that I thought of keeping it –him?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, Haley, I meant it." He frowned, "And I hated you for not involving me, for not wanting me around."

"Nathan you said-"

"Dammit, I was a stupid kid!" he snapped, "I know what I said and I know it was horrible to even think of those things, but can you really blame me for an initial shock? While having my dad breathing down my neck and getting a rejection letter after the other? Even then, Haley, it didn't take me a lot of time to realize maybe it wasn't the end of the world, and maybe I can do both, and that I definitely don't want to pull a classic selfish Dan Scott!"

Haley has been telling herself that she's having this conversation only for Jamie's sake, but right there, right in this moment, when she saw the hurt, torn side of Nathan Scott that he has been burying inside, and hearing what she has once dreamed and hoped would be true, what she has long forgotten about, but definitely believed while coming out of his mouth, she remembered just why she has fell in love with him once upon a time.

"How could I know that, Nathan?" she shook her head. "You never told me."

"You never listened, I tried to make things right with you again, Haley, I wanted to talk when I thought we already lost the baby, and I felt awful, but I still wanted you, I wanted to fix things first with you. I tried."

"That's what would have fixed things, Nate." She squeaked out through the tears that she didn't even realize were already gathering threatening to fall down her face and make a mess. "And… and… how could I just let you in? You and Lucas both were-"

"I'm not fucking Lucas, Haley!" he snapped cutting her off, "You keep dragging him in as a part of the equation when he's not! Yes, he was your best friend, my brother, and he fucked up too, but Lucas and his own fucking mistakes have nothing to do with our situation here."

"I know, I know… what I meant is… I didn't know if I could trust you anymore, Nathan, I mean when you said those things and Lucas whom I have known my whole life turned to this jerk, I was shocked in the two men that mattered the most to me, and…" she shook her head as her voice cracked, "You never fought, you never insisted."

He felt suffocating as he held his head up high grasping for air to help him process; he has never looked at it from this angle, he only held the perspective at which Haley is the unforgiving bitch who didn't have the heart to ever forgive an honest mistake throughout the whole time span of seven years they have been apart. But, it does make sense seeing it from her own perspective where she's disappointed in the man who she loved and her best friend supporting hi, it makes sense that she ended up excluding the both of them.

"This whole thing is complicated." He shook his head saying after a while of silence.

"It is." She agreed. "Brooke and Peyton say we're both stubborn." She offered a weak smile.

He cracked a side smile staring at the opposite wall, "Lucas says so too."

Silence fell upon them once again, at this point neither of them had the intention to leave; they both knew that the discussion was opened, and won't be over so easily, it was just… tiring.

"Nathan?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you still want to?" she hesitantly asked, "To be in Jamie's life?" she elaborated.

He shut his mouth pursing his lips as if forcing it not to answer; his reflexive answer was a yes, but it was scary, a yes is a commitment, and he didn't know to whom exactly, he didn't know it's consequences and he didn't know if it's even the right thing to do.

"Look, Haley," he turned his body on the chair to be facing her as their knees slightly brushed before she pushed hers back a bit. "You spent those years taking care of a whole new individual being his eyes to the whole world," he gulped painfully and her hands hugged tightly with a sudden wave of coldness invading her body, "you surely have matured more than I did, in another level than that I did. I… I can barely take care of myself and you managed to bring a healthy little boy to the world."

"What's your point, Nathan?" she asked softly.

"My point is it might sound easy to you but I don't know if I can be in his life, what comes naturally to you might not to me."

She nodded looking down for a minute before relaxing her shoulders a little and looking up at him to meet his eyes once again, "But it does."

"What?" he furrowed his brows and she gave him a smile and instinctually reached out to hold his hands in hers suddenly creating a warmth that scared the hell out of him.

"You did, Nathan, when you first met him and you helped with the vending machine, with the paparazzi and with his accident, you were there and you saved the situation, Nathan." She told him, "Besides, who ever told you it came naturally to me, I screwed things a lot, if it weren't for Karen, Brooke, Peyton, and occasionally my mom and yours I would have been a disastrous mother."

"I'm sure you wouldn't." he argued in murmur.

"No, I would have, it took time and it took practice to know how to do it, what really matters though… is to have it in your heart, to really want to do it, Nate."

The way she has been calling him Nate throughout this goddamn conversation, and the fact that she's holding his hands trying to convince him how good of a father he could be with that glistening look in her hazel eyes, it all created a cloud in Nathan's vision making all the surroundings disappear, and he was back in high-school in a minute and the only thing that mattered was this very moment.

"So, do you, Nathan? Do you want to?" she bit her lip.

"I do." He absentmindedly answered in a barely audible voice; it was the answer to a lot of questions running in his mind at the time being. He didn't know what was happening, but at the moment, he didn't put much thinking into it, he let what comes naturally come, and he knew deep down, that his heart was the one taking control now.

"Really?" she asked her voice not hiding the excitement and she also absentmindedly squeezed his hands.

He retrieved one hand from hers and held it against her cheek with a smile and a small nod, "Really." He affirmed.

She couldn't think of something to say, she just smiled and leaned into his hand. The very last time they spoke, before Jamie's little accident, they were like two stray cats crying and attacking each other in a silent night, while right now, they were more like two little kittens who just found comfort in each other's touches.

Time is a strange concept; sometimes the longest of hours could feel like a few seconds, and sometimes a couple of minutes would pass as long as centuries, sometimes time acts as a forgetting or a healing pill, and other times your pain renews with every passing second for the end of eternity, in which case, you must admit that you have done something incorrectly, but instead, you would choose to blame it on any other thing, just like the duo here did blame it on each other.

But, also, time just froze the moment they were connected by a touch, it took them years back and froze; there was no passing seconds, no means of counting forward, no outer world… just the two of them in a long awaited, way too familiar, and a much admired moment lost in the whole time-space network.

And just like the gravity force, there was a force between them bringing them closer, Nathan's breath heaved the more they got closer, he was aware of what's happening, and he was liking it, despite the voice coming from the farthest corner in the back of his mind telling him not to rush things. On the other hand, Haley was better at addressing her own feelings, maybe he was right when he said she has matured in a way that he yet had to experience, but, Haley has learned to come more in touch with herself, thoughts and feelings, and in this moment, she realized that she has never stopped waiting, never stopped thinking about, and never stopped loving Nathan Scott.

As long of a moment and as much of thoughts and feelings it held, and as close as they got, with her hands now one being on his chest the other around his neck and his cupping her face, time finally exploded when they in a sudden move closed the remaining distance between them, north meeting south, east colliding with west, moon melting into sun and black merging with white, two opposite halves of a whole.

Fierce, passionate, longing, exploring, familiar and magical… those things were what they could describe their first kiss after seven years of never seeing each other and several shared mutual screams and one decent conversation.

Panting they broke apart with wet lips, adrenaline and dopamine filling up their veins, with their hair being messy they rested their foreheads against one another catching their breathes.

"That was…"

"I know…" it was barely audible but both heard and understood.

"But…" Nathan pulled back to look at her properly with pained confused eyes and his hand on her cheeks while his thumb stroke her soft skin, he shook his head, " This… it's all too much too soon." For the first time, he admitted not having a clue on what he wants let alone what to do.

Although disappointed, but, Haley actually understood, she has come here with the expectation of another fight, or harsh words, and there was neither, but on the contrary, it seemed like Nathan has already been doing some thinking of his own already and it would only make sense that he is confused.

She nodded, "Yeah," she retrieved back getting comfortable in her seat already missing his touch, "I understand."

"You do?" he asked looking like a lost puppy; how can she understand when he can't?"

"Yeah, look, Nathan, it's just like you said, we were kids. We were stubborn and we were selfish. But, that's all in the past, we both made mistakes, and I apologize for my half, if not for anything between us then for my son –our son. And I too have always wanted you to know your son, Nathan. And I'm sure Jamie would love to meet you too, God, he's been seeing you as a hero without even seeing or knowing you and that itself should have given me a hint, but, as I said, we have been nothing but stubborn." She rambled and paused to take a breath, "Nate, if you decide to get to know your son, to have a part in our life… you totally have my blessing."

She tried to make it as clear as she could to where she stands without scaring him, she knew that it was all sudden that she has just a few weeks earlier requested him to stay away in order not to hurt him, but he also have said and done a lot of things in the area within that were enough for her to straighten her thoughts and to eventually stop thinking about him as her ex-boyfriend and to start thinking about him as the father of her child… and as it comes to it also a possible ex-boyfriend minus the ex.

However what she didn't notice was that she has slipped up; she said 'our life' and it didn't go unnoticed by him.

**XxXxXx**

Nathan has decided to have his mind set up by the day of the movie premier, but he met his deadline without finding a way to settle the debate between his heart and his mind.

He shouldn't have kissed Haley.

This kiss only confused him all the more, it brought back feelings and opened wounds and reinforced ongoing hopes paving the way for new ones to enter his currently fragile heart.

He has started playing again, and he was perfectly in shape again, but, for the first time since he started his career as a professional player, his head wasn't fully into the game, wither he liked it or not, his personal life was in a crisis and he had to make a decision and he wasn't able to do so.

He shouldn't have kissed Haley because he liked it.

He wondered if there would be any time that he could actually say he's ready to take the full experience, to be a dad and to see where things could go with Haley. He wondered if they could rekindle their relationship, he didn't know why not though? Didn't she say herself that they were two stubborn kids? There was no actual reason for them to break up in the first place. But, then again, who knows? Seven years are capable of turning them into two completely different persons though.

The one thing he was sure of though, was that he didn't want to be like Dan Scott. While trying to make a decision, he remembered his so-called father and remembered as a kid when he vowed to himself to never be like he is to his own kids, a vow he has long forgotten, but, actually, it was the vow he should have never let go of.

Dan Scott maybe is a lot of things, but, he also set an example for him to not follow... something that Dan himself is aware of.

People who has only known angry-Nathan were confused as to what happened to him and why there was a distant, confused one instead, while Nathan himself, didn't like those claims, and only blamed it on having his head occupied with an argument he has to properly settle.

"Ready yet, little bro?" Lucas called for him.

Nathan was ready long time ago, but he wasn't too. He was ready in his tux but wasn't ready to go knowing he'll be seeing her without having an answer. However, he groaned as he gave himself one final looking in the mirror not finding anything wrong with the way he looked.

He left his room meeting the other blond man in his own tux, "Let's go."

Both brothers were single and both were attending the premier of the movie that flipped their lives upside down, so they were going together.

In the backseat of the car Lucas addressed his brother, "Are you ready though? Have you made your mind?"

Nathan only shook his head, "Have you?"

Lucas gave a distant look, "Well, _I_ have." Nathan didn't question more knowing his brother would have explained if he wanted to.

"Remember the first day of this movie?" Nathan smirked looking at Lucas who chuckled.

"I remember you throwing a fit at me."

"I always throw a fit at you."

"True to that." It was true, Lucas has been his punching bag throughout the years, he takes it and he sets him straight when he completely loses it, Lucas understands him, and he knows where he comes from and why he tends to have a temper instead of showing sadness, but if he ever showed sadness in front of anyone –apart from Haley back then- it would be Lucas, he didn't know when or how they became so close, but they turned out to be real brothers in the end.

"Have you not slept with Haley though?" he smirked referring to their earlier conversation while knowing he's giving him the creeps. In fact, the thought cringes him too, but he just couldn't help say it.

"Nathan!" Lucas exclaimed scolding.

He laughed, "Dude, have you seen Jamie? He's more you than me."

He rolled his eyes, "That's because we have got the best Scott genes."

"Maybe him, you, not so much." Nathan muttered.

"Are you sure you haven't made your mind up?" he smirked at him knowingly.

Nathan didn't reply this time, he was trying not to think about it, he had no idea what his reaction will be on seeing her tonight, nor what hers will be. He knew what he wanted deep down, it was enough time for him to know what he wants, but, his dilemma was wither if he can handle it or not, if he is or ever will be ready.

When they arrived, he was blinded by the sudden flashes in his face for a while as he posed with his signature smile alongside his brother who was pretty much used to the cameras having attended a punch of events with him even before pursuing his own career.

It was all a routine to him now, he knows what he's doing and how to give them good pictures, but, from the corner of his eye, he caught a sight that completely distracted him. Haley was just a few steps away posing for the pictures herself and she has brought a date, Nathan forgot to pose for a while only staring at her in a sleeveless silver tight dress from the upper and flows down reaching right above the knees and a matching pair of silver heels and her hair in a tendril twist bun with her date being her son in a simple neat button down shirt and jeans.

Nathan remembered that same day he met her on the movie and how shocked yet captivated it left him then. This sight however, was far more captivating to him, Haley and his son posing with smiles for the cameras, it was like a perfect family picture and he was missing it, just like he was missing every other second in their lives.

Haley has given him access to walk in and be a part of it if he wants, and he still has the chance now, when she's still single, still opened to the idea of him sliding in the picture, he can actually have it all if he did it right.

He actually remembers the day he saw Chris Keller talking to her with an arm wrapped around her shoulder and how it made him boil in the inside, not only because Chris has always hit on her, and not only because he was talking to her and he wasn't, it was the realization that she could be with anyone anytime and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it, and yet, he still kept it to himself then and didn't admit it.

Seeing Haley again, only made him slowly but surely face what he has been burying inside all those years. Can he really do it? Can he drop it all and take a leap?

A hand on his shoulder cut him out of his trance bringing him to the reality and the screaming reporters with their cameras flashing everywhere crazily; he has probably just fed up their tabloids enough just with a few seconds of zoning off. He turned to look at his brother looking knowingly at him.

"Go, Nate." He told him as Nathan looked at him then back at Haley and Jamie to see she has finally became aware of his arrival and she looked over at him with a wondering look.

Then it clicked, there might never come a time where he'd say he's totally ready, but there will never be a time when he wants to actually have it, to go through the experience and to catch up with what he missed, to be a dad, to be with Haley more like he wants at the moment. His fears of being another Dan Scott seemed to vanish; he has never really been him, he sure was his son, but Nathan always knew better... it's his stubbornness that kept him away, the stubbornness that he's dropping at the moment.

He looked back at Lucas apologetically who only smiled giving him a slight push on the back. He shifted his gaze back to Haley and smiled as he saw hope and doubt mix in her eyes. It seemed like a full circle; he remembered the first time he ever approached her, when he had a plan and she had no clue what was going on, back then, he was a player, a bad boy, he glided his way into her life smoothly, and it seemed appropriate to glide his way back in, pulling a classic Nathan Scott this time.

Cameras flashes went as crazy as ever as he took steps towards her and Jamie; they have already rumored enough about an on-going romance between them when they were spotted in two serious situations before, the first being the paparazzi one the second being Jamie's accident when he drove them to the hospital, and they have also made their assumptions about him being Jamie's dad, but then again who wouldn't? With those looks, it was kinda impossible not to talk. And he was giving them the actual show right now, giving them something to talk about for the rest of the week.

"Hey." He said as he reached them.

"Hi." She answered with Jamie between her arms.

"Hey, Jamie," he called, "would you like a ticket to the next game?"

"Really?" Jamie exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Sure. If your mom is okay with it though."

"Can we, mom, please?"

"Uh… we'll have to discuss this later." She answered giving Nathan a look who shrugged with a smile.

"Alright, let's pose for the cameras for now then. They'll love to take pictures of us." He said already taking position as he put his hand on the small of her back and she looked up at him with a surprise.

"What are you doing?" she whispered while smiling to the lenses.

"What I should have done way earlier." He answered facing ahead.

"Since when are you impulsive?"

"Uh, since forever; you're the one with all the planning, Hales." He smirked and she nudged him slightly.

"By the way, everything you do in front of them is noticed and will be written in details." He said as he turned to her other side to be next Jamie dropping a kiss on her cheek in the process shocking her all the more and giving her cheeks a deep crimson shade.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Giving them something to talk about?" he smirked and gave her a wink, "Hey, Jamie, tell her you will also have access to the locker-rooms."

"Mom, did you hear that? We have to go."

"I don't think posing in front of the movie posters is the best place to speak about all of that."

"You're right. That's enough, let's go." He said ignoring the organizers as he took her hand as they went inside.

Haley was supposed to be sitting with her friends but, Nathan took a seat next her knowing one of them -probably Brooke- wouldn't mind switching.

"What the hell, Nathan?" Haley whisper-yelled once they were sitting down.

"Look, I know I ambushed you. I'm sorry." He said with a shrug and she shook her head knowing he's not actually sorry, "But, you said I could be there for you if I want?"

"I did. Do you?" Her heart pounded; the minutes she saw him out there, she froze, she knew she'd be seeing him of course, but she has been wondering what his decision is going to be for a good while, and when he never said anything, she had to assume that this was her answer, so, to see him again, it was going to be the moment of truth, his reaction would determine it all, and at the moment, she didn't know what to think, she was very familiar with those antiques of his, and in fact, it warmed her heart, she knew Nathan, and she saw it in his eyes that he just made his mind right at that moment, or maybe he has made his mind long time ago and it was just the decision he needed to put into action, but, it was still too good to be true, she has spent years throughout she had to stop believing good things could happen to her, so, for Nathan to actually be there next her now, posing for pictures, dropping kisses on her cheek, turning her son against her in a heartbeat; all in all, acting like a real couple... it was overwhelming.

"Yeah, I do."

"Are you sure?"

"More than anything."

That got her smiling genuinely. Sure, they will have to talk over tons of stuff, they will have to settle their hearts completely and let go of the past with all its mistakes and they will have to open their hearts and minds a little more and stop being stubborn, and start being what they were always supposed to be, sure it's gonna be tiring, exhausting even, but, they were willing to go through it.

Julian hadn't a clue how many stories he'd be really making when he started this movie, 'L'amour rouge', but for Nathan and Haley, although it was tough to break through their heads, but it wasn't hard, not hard at all to realize their love was still going on, in fact it could have never died, it was there growing day by day in the form of James Lucas –soon to be- Scott.

Nathan and Haley had a lot to figure out but they didn't have to worry because the basis of it is tough; the color of their amour has always been rouge.

* * *

So, there's the first one shot. I'm sorry it took a while, I just had a few things but I'm back now. How do you like this one? I hope I was able to translate what I wanted to say... like I wanted to show how Nathan's rage, the fire that has been within him for years has started cooling off as they movie progressed -as Haley walked back in his life, and how they were both taking Jamie as an excuse for everything that has to do with each other, wither it being mad at each other, or hiding their affection towards one another, and finally the fact that their feelings never went away in the first place.

I like the progressing of this story, and how they fight instead of admitting their love, it was fun to write, although it's the first time I write long one-shots, but it's fun!

So, anyway, what do you think? Tell me your opinions, and who you think will b the next couple. It won't be long until it's out anyway.


	3. Lucas and Peyton

**Lucas and Peyton**

'Fear is the great enemy of intimacy. Fear makes us run away from each other or cling to each other but does not create true intimacy.' - _Henri Nouwen_

'I'm not afraid to try again, I'm just afraid of getting hurt for the same reason.' - _Anurag Prakash Ray_

'We fear the thing we want the most.' - _Robert Anthony_

**XxXxXx**

"I need your pretty signature right here. Excellent. And right over there." Julian instructed as Peyton signed her name; it took her a while to be convinced to work with her ex-boyfriend, but she finally made the decision to work with Julian in his upcoming classic movie 'L'amour rouge' to make him the music, she decided to make the best of it anyway and had one condition which was to compose the music for the movie songs and have a signed up singer in her label to be the one signing them, Julian wasn't desperate, but, he had a plan, he has already had someone in mind to sing the songs, but, he honestly wanted Peyton for the music more, and when he balanced the options, he chose to trust Peyton when it came to music.

And she of course always knew who she wanted to push for the job; she chose her newest signed up singer and oldest friend Haley James.

"Excellent. Congratulations, Peyton, you're officially entering history." Julian smiled cockily raising his hands in the air confidently.

"Ha, _you and your movie_ are just entering history with my signature, babe."

"Sure thing. You are gonna love the rest of the crew." He said gathering the papers.

"You already signed the cast?"

"Most of it." He answered knowing the next part is where it gets exciting, "I believe you know Chris Keller?"

"What?" she squealed as Julian wondered if that's her reaction on Keller what could she possibly think of the coming news. "You signed Keller." She said it in a matter-of-fact way with a sarcastic smile. "Dammit, you are going to suffer." She laughed.

"Well, worth it, he's fit for the role. I think you are familiar with others too."

"Who?" she asked out of curiosity fixing herself a cup of coffee as Julian stood tall with his papers in his bag hanging on his shoulder.

"The script slash song writer, he's writing the songs and co-wrote the script," he said casually, "Lucas Scott."

Peyton was taking a sip of her coffee and she didn't get to enjoy it as she spat it immediately chocking on what's left in her mouth.

"See ya, Peyt." Julian said and quickly took a beeline to her front door slamming it behind him before she could gather herself back.

"You bastard!" she screamed after him pointlessly in frustration. He played her; he willingly and fully aware hid that fact from her until she signed the contract with him.

She and Julian dated for nearly six months, it was good as it lasted, but, she simply couldn't fall in love with him, and she couldn't lie or pretend so, they peacefully ended it and remained friends, in fact they were better friends than together, and Julian knew from the very first start what kind of complicated history she has got with Lucas Scott, so, to have him manipulating her like this basically forcing her to work with him is absolutely seamy of him.

She hasn't talked to Lucas in years, never since they both found their success, and even long time before that, not since they all fell apart, shortly after their high school graduation.

Her history with Lucas was a complicated mess of drama, he was her ex… what? She couldn't even label it; her ex- friend-with-benefits would be the closest description. They have been through a lot together, but never on the same page at the same time, it seemed.

Lucas had his eyes on her first, when she was dating his brother Nathan, the brother he didn't even like at the time. It was the last days of her relationship with Nathan when she needed a change from the toxicity she was engulfed in and wanted to have fun with a good guy and Lucas didn't waste any time to try his luck, however, he wanted more, not a one-time thing, and not a fling, he wanted to have the real thing, and she wasn't ready.

So there went their first attempt.

While she was second-guessing herself and opening up to the idea of exploring a relationship with Lucas, the boy didn't stop to mourn and jumped in bed with no one other than her best friend. At this point Brooke didn't have a clue of what went down between him and Peyton, and Peyton although hurting more than she expected, felt there was no need in telling her, Lucas made his decision and that was it. However, when Brooke found out from a mistaken slip-up from Haley, she broke it off with Lucas refusing to be a re-bound.

It was then that it was obvious Peyton has been uncomfortable with his relationship with her best friend and that she possibly have feelings for him. While both single, Lucas decided to take it slow and be friends with her, however Peyton turned down every attempt of flirtation from him, feeling frustrated Lucas inquired about her reasons, there were tears and screams from her part when she accused him of being a player and jumping from her to Brooke and back to her in no time, she said that even if she ignored the fact that he's her best friend's ex now, she can't ignore the fact that he is a jerk and apparently only wants to be in a relationship with any girl.

And there was their second attempt of a relationship.

Although claiming that she got it all wrong, and that she can't just judge him like that after turning him down, and accusing her of being the one who's playing with his feelings as she led him on not once but twice and kept turning him down when it came to the final deal in the end, but Lucas backed away from both her and Brooke, at least for a good while. He got closer to them again but this time he came straight forward wanting to make things right with Brooke, and even though deep down Peyton still had a thing for him, she gave up for the fact that obviously, they seemingly are not a good fit.

So, with Lucas dating Brooke and her being her best friend, she was able to be his too, but that was until the unfortunate event of her accident, she was driving and an idiot ran a red light colliding with her, Lucas was there, he saw the accident and he saw her car flipping over due to the collision and he was the one who pulled her out, drove her to the hospital, stayed with her after making sure she's thankfully fine, and he was the one who later on fixed her car. She came out of the accident fine having a few scratches and a concussion, nothing fatal , but she was shaken for a couple of days, but it was enough for an affair to start between the two broody blonds behind Brooke's back.

Lucas' feelings were stirred due to the fact that he witnessed almost losing her forever, and hers were moved by the fact that he was the one there for her, saving her.

They stole a few kisses and make out sessions here and there driven by lust and claiming they can't stop it, however Peyton's guilty conscience eventually awoke her and she told him they can't keep doing this to Brooke, her intention was to stop it and pretend nothing ever happened between them, but he told her that he would tell Brooke and end things with her, he told her that it has always been her he wanted from the start.

While it was an appealing and heartwarming decision to her, but she also ached that she would be the cause of her best friend's broken-heart. However, Lucas' confession to Brooke took time, he never seemed to find 'the right time' and while he was waiting to find it, they kept their stolen moments going, he had to stop waiting though, because Brooke found out on her own, and this of course caused a huge drought between Brooke and each one of them naturally driving the three apart.

It was the third and basically last attempt to have a relationship.

Lucas nearly caused her to lose her best friend, but she couldn't blame it solely on him; it takes two to cheat, but she realized –temporarily- how poisonous her relationship with Lucas can be. It took her time to amend the damages done with Brooke but eventually and miraculously their friendship survived.

What was stranger though is that Lucas managed to work his way into their lives once again, this time only as friends, the three of them, and it seemed like this was what it was meant to be from the start, it was the closest they got and it was nice.

Then, came the school-shooting. When a student with a gun terrorized the school, Lucas ran inside with his brother to save their friends, while Nathan followed Haley's footsteps, Lucas looked for Peyton, and sure enough he found her hiding with a bullet in her leg, she was already losing a lot of blood when she said she loves him and kissed him before passing out. Lucas carried her outside once again saving her life and she was once again grateful to him, and she seemed to know only one way of thanking him.

This time, while both were single, it started when he was checking on her after she just got rid of her clutches, they were home alone and filled with unsaid words and unexplored adventures and what started as a meaningful thank you for saving my life escalated into a passionate kiss and proceeded into breathlessly removing clothes and ended up going all the way.

With no regrets, they decided it better be just a one-time thing and leave it at that and if no one knew about it, it would be like it never happened, and both were satisfied with the agreement. However, the forbidden is desirable, and since they tasted it before and liked the taste, they couldn't help but crave more.

The sparkle ignited once again when one night he showed up at her house looking like a zombie as he explained to her the dilemma he was having between him moving in with his dad caving in to his shady deal to prevent him from disturbing his mother and uncle Keith's happiness who on their behalf neither understood nor liked his decision. He needed to let out his rage towards his dad and she understood. She hugged him and as he calmed down he became aware of their closeness taking in her scent before pulling apart just enough to look in her eyes and for her to look back and so, a full repetition of the other night took place.

And even though they swore it would be the last time, it happened again when he had a fight with his mom, and when she had a scare that her dad was a victim of a sudden storm in his work, and when Dan finally kicked him out, and then they didn't need to have a reason to break the promise and just stopped promising to end it all together.

The sneaking around and the never-ending passion was exciting, taking the risk was a turn on itself, and they started being more daring in choosing their timing and places, they found it extremely sexy to be doing it under everyone's noses without being caught, and they mastered it, wither it be at Nathan's insane party, or Brooke's beach cabin, or the school bathroom or by the riverbank in his truck in the middle of the night, they seek the opportunity and they have it.

It's said that happy times are shortly lived, and their reckless actions were ought to have consequences. While at the peak of having fun with their ongoing adventures and endless affection of each other while pretending in front of everyone that they definitely can keep their hands off of one another, and while Peyton started feeling like they could discuss again the option of being together for real, they faced a pregnancy scare.

Lucas wasn't going to bail on her, but he sure as hell wasn't ready for something like that, he wished it wasn't true, and if it was he couldn't stop his mind from thinking adoption would be the best option, and that's because he knew Peyton wouldn't be up for an abortion which he –on the other hand- thought was a reasonable option. However, they were both relieved when it turned out to be a false alarm and all their worries were settled, although it left an effect. The fun was killed and the game was over, they finally called it quits and agreed for the final time to stay friends like everyone thinks, although it was awkward going back to just friends without the benefits.

To get over it, both of them started dating, Peyton dated her on-again off-again crush as in Jake Jagielski, he's in the basketball team with both the Scott brothers and he's into music, so, they found a lot in common, while Lucas started seeing the new girl in school Rachel Gatina who's more of the new it girl competing Brooke and continuously putting Lucas in the middle, and it was obvious it wouldn't last.

On the other hand, Peyton and Jake were going just fine until he called it off with her after telling her she says Lucas' name in her sleep; and that was the moment Peyton realized her feelings for the blond Scott are deeper than booty calls, or flings, or even just friends, it has always been that way, she just didn't realize it sooner. And so, she had a new goal, which was to win his heart back.

At this point, he was on a rocky place with Rachel, and everybody was wondering why neither of them hasn't ended it already, Peyton made sure to be there for Lucas when he finally did end it, and on that same night, she showed up on the backdoor leading directly to his room wearing a coat which she lost once granted access inside the room revealing a sexy piece of lingerie daring him to restart their banned custom.

She knew she had him interested the moment her coat hit the floor even though he tried resisting while being the sound of logic, however, he didn't stand a chance against her seductive moves and touches and it was back on.

Peyton's little plan was to get him interested in her once again and working up from there while finding her way to his heart, and the first part was already covered when he showed up at her house only a few days later, they agreed to be more careful though this time around having her on the pill to ease all of their worries.

It wasn't too long before they were caught this time by Brooke, who walked in on them in the empty boys' changing room while in the middle of a hot make-out session, and soon Brooke and Haley were both grilling her with questions about it and she ended up telling them everything much to their surprise.

Peyton was glad to finally be able to talk about her feeling for him and how she has a feeling that this time would be the one they get together at last, both her friends were excited about the news but secretly worried Peyton is getting her hopes up.

As their fling continued, and as Peyton began showing more affection and caring towards him, Lucas as clueless as he could be, received it all happily as part of their thing and never took a hint.

Peyton however was driven to believe that they are progressing, especially that Lucas keeps caring and saving her, her friends kept telling her she's going to end up hurt but she never listened and kept fulfilling his desires having fallen under his charm without requiring any commitment of him, which was really all she needed.

It wasn't until their graduation that she got alarmed catching an error when she knew he was thinking of asking some other girl to prom. Her brain raced for excuses but none were satisfying, and she had no option but to directly ask him what he thinks of them.

From her side of the fence, she thought that Lucas was into her, and that he was on the same page as her, maybe a little later than her in realizing it, but he was definitely heading there, and even though Brooke and Haley kept warning her to be cautious, but they couldn't deny they saw something too.

On confronting him, she asked him if he still feels something for her to which he replied that of course he loves her as they have gone through a lot together. Peyton didn't know then if he's that clueless or is purposely dodging the topic, so she rephrased her question and asked if he sees them going anywhere, if he wants a future with her, he simply replied with an 'oh, Peyton' and followed it with a sorry pitiful face turning her body instantly cold; she felt cheap and stupid, he kept talking about how he thinks it's best for them to stay friends and how he didn't realize she's having feelings for him and had he known he would have backed away, but she wasn't listening, she was busy preventing her tears from showing and her voice from cracking and her heart from aching.

At the end of his speech, she forced a sweat smile and told him they were fine, that she was fine and then spent the rest of the day and all the night crying in her room.

She tried to act as if she was fine but both Haley and Brooke saw right through it, and she noticed Brooke giving him the cold shoulder and Haley not being as friendly towards him, while she tried getting everything back to normal, but it seemed impossible, especially when in a heart-filled moment with Lucas talking about how easier things were before, he sensationally kissed her, and she almost fell for it once again if it wasn't for his hand automatically going under her shirt and she finally snapped and realized she can't keep doing this, she can't pretend anymore and definitely can't see more of Lucas.

Lucas Scott broke her heart exactly like a boa does when it wraps itself gracefully around its victim before squeezing until it literally crushes.

She later knew that Brooke let him have a piece of her mind, and even Haley when she has got her fair share of drama with the other Scott brother, and even though she is originally Lucas' best friend, she gave him a lecture of how he's taking her for granted, and the kind of jerk he's turned into.

Lucas graciously sent her a short apology via text message that she didn't reply to and it was the last contact with him before each went their way, she went to LA with Brooke and Haley stayed home attending a local college proceeding her pregnancy while Lucas and Nathan became roommates in Duke where Nathan played basketball and Lucas majored in literature.

And up to this point, she never had to worry about meeting Lucas Scott once again, until another ex of hers deviously made sure it's happening anyway.

Julian brought all the memories back, and surfaced some unlikable feelings, and arose numerous questions in her mind; does Lucas know? What's his reaction? What is he like now? Does he smell the same? How is he going to treat her? How in the hell is she going to cope?

**XxXxXxXx**

Lucas was waiting in the studio nervously drumming his fingers on the table and rapidly moving his leg up and down lost in his thoughts; he knew he had a meeting today with the composer and the singer to work out a plan, a work plan, like any normal and regular people at the beginning of any project, but, it wasn't until that same morning that Julian bombarded him with the revelation of the identity of them being part of his high school gang; the most important two, to his heart at least, being Peyton Sawyer and Haley James.

And that's how he knew they'll be working a plan to deal in general before coming up with one for work.

Julian was sure a good producer and he knew what he's doing, but he had a funny way to do his job, a way that granted him being called a jerk.

Lucas wished he had support that day, at least Haley and Peyton have each other while he will be like the one on the other side, it would have been easier if they were complete strangers, but, there had to be all sorts of history there.

He had to admit that he missed them, both of them, on completely different levels though.

He missed his best friend, his oldest friend, they have survived everything throughout the years, and suddenly one argument where they couldn't see eye to eye nor support each other's decisions drove them apart, while he never understood the way she's freezing Nathan out of her life and their unborn child's life, she hated the careless bad boy version he had become, and even though he didn't see it back then, he admits it now.

He has tried to keep in contact with her after Jamie's birth but it seemed like the more they talked the more they fought and the more they resented one another and it was getting ugly to the point they wondered how the hell it came to this, and eventually she suggested that it was probably for the best if they didn't talk for a while, and that turned to never again.

As for Peyton, well, seven years is an enough period of time to realize what he has done and what kind of jerk he actually was. He knows what it was though, putting the fact that he was a stupid hormonal teenage boy aside, he was scared, he has tried it several times with Peyton and she turned him down, he has wanted to have everything with her from the very first start and she wanted it just casual, and they did have casual later on, only for her to want it all, well, at this point, he has shut his heart, and found their relationship at its best when there were no strings attached, he found it fun, exciting and always on fire, so, he was having fun, she was having fun, there was no problem, he got comfortable this way and erased every thought or possibility of becoming anything else.

He shut his heart to the point that when she finally made sure he's aware of her feelings, he actually didn't find it improper to let his desire lead the way once again with her.

All in all, he has to work for the next two months with two of his old friends who hate his guts. Starting right now…

The door opened snapping him out of his thoughts and he wasn't ready to meet their grown-up versions in person yet, then again, he probably would have never been ready, there they were, Haley in a shorter hair than he remembers dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt, she has always rocked the simple casual outfit and no matter what she put on, it always looked good, behind her entered Peyton who was wearing a slim green dress that flowed around her long thin legs, her blond curls are now wavy ash-brown locks, and from what he can see through the V-cut of the dress, her breasts have got rounder than he remembers; her curves are rounder –sexier if he may put it.

Peyton took in his appearance too as soon as Haley opened the door, she told her to enter first so she'd be able to prepare from behind her letting her take the lead; she has come prepared to be the strong woman she is now and not let anything affect her, but all of a sudden, before even meeting him, when she got to the door, she felt seventeen again and was scared her vulnerability would kick in, but as she actually stood before him and saw him in his jeans and plain button-up blue shirt while he stood up at their arrival and looking like a deer lost in the headlights, she knew she's going to be fine, not even when she noted his light stubble giving him more manly vibes, nor his muscles visible under his shirt that has sure gotten bigger, not even his messy hair that he has tamed lightening the sides and thickening in the middle.

Being a mother taught Haley that sometimes she has got to be the one to take responsibility to settle an issue, even if unwillingly, and she knew that those two kids aren't going to start a proper conversation, so, she took it upon herself to break the ice, "Well, I guess no introductions are needed, why don't we sit down and start working like old friends would do?" she said and sat down herself and then the other two followed.

"Just like that." Lucas noted starting to form a smile feeling a sense of familiarity in Haley's voice.

"Just like that." She confirmed, "Greetings are in regard though I guess. So, hi, Lucas, how are you doing?"

He smiled gratefully; at least Haley is attempting to remove any awkwardness, "I'm fine thanks for asking, how are you?" Although he was being formal and his voice was still cracking, but, that would be dissolved soon, right?

"I'm magnificent."

Lucas cleared his throat and turned towards Peyton, "Hello, Peyton." It came out shakier than attempted and he hoped she didn't notice.

"Hey. Now, that we established that we all know each other, what about getting to work?" she suggested nicely; she decided being practical is the best suitable solution for this dilemma; never has she heard that mixing business with personal life was correct, besides, seven years practically makes them strangers, so, why hold on to something that's been long buried and forgotten?

Or has it?

"Sounds good." Lucas nodded feeling better by the moment, if it kept going like this then they wouldn't have a problem, sticking to work is the professional thing to do and he's glad they agreed.

So for the next two hours, they talked and discussed their working plans and how they are going to handle it, the movie needed three songs, Peyton has hoped that they would limit their work together, but as Lucas put it, he works in a team when it comes to songwriting, and while his work might relate to Haley more than her, as her job is finalizing the song but, Haley thought it'd be better to have her in the process of writing the song itself while Peyton made a self-note to scold her later.

"Great, then, it's basically established." Haley clapped her hands together standing up, "I gotta run, I have to pick up Jamie, so, see you Wednesday." She announced before leaving in a hurry checking the time for the millionth time.

Peyton shook her head in a smile before standing up too and gathering her stuff to put in her bag ready to go as Lucas did the same, "She's a good mother isn't she? I mean, I always imagined her to be." Lucas said awkwardly making conversation as he looked at her.

"Yeah, yeah, she absolutely is." Peyton nodded looking right back in his eyes and before she gets to remember what it's like to gaze in those eyes she took a deep breath and shifted her eyes to her phone checking the time, "Well, I gotta go too." She said even though she had nothing to do at all.

"Hey, Peyton." He called after her stopping her from walking through the door as she turned around questioningly, "It's so good to see you again." He said in a low sincere voice giving her an intense gaze, and despite her well, she was absorbed in that gaze she knows all too well, however, her brain cells were active and managed to pull her out of it as she gave him a smile and a nod before turning around to leave, a smile that Lucas remembered clearly, it was the same one she gave him when he told her they are better as friends; a fake smile.

On her way out, Peyton ran into a tall blond woman whom she recognized as Lindsey Strauss, the famous actress also known as Lucas' fiancée who is also the lead actress in the very same movie dear Julian put them in, as if reminding her to stick to work and not let the slightest chance of her head to wander anywhere.

Even though it was a surprise having to work with her, but, he can't deny that seeing her, talking to her and secretly analyzing her created a beautiful sense of familiarity that he had missed. It was actually pretty good seeing Peyton Sawyer again, and not even the entrance of his fiancée would take that feeling away.

**XxXxXx**

Lucas has been with Lindsey for about a year, and even though some may think it's too soon to be engaged, but he knows what he felt and what is going on between them, or at least he did; it's been a while since they were an actual supportive couple, it seems to have hit a rocky place where things are cold between them, if not forcing a conversation, they mostly disagree or argue, they try to reemit the flames between them and when they run out of ideas they go to strike it in bed, which works perfectly as long as it lasts, hardly making it to the next morning.

However, the good thing is, they know they have a problem and they are working on it, they have suggested seeing a relationship counselor and thought it's a good idea, but neither of them seemed enthusiastic for it and they were yet to take the actual step.

Having been walking in shallow waters, and while Lindsey was aware of all the history between Lucas and Peyton and even Lucas and Brooke, and even though they were basically on set together just working on different rooms and quests, Lindsey kept nagging him when she knew he was on set wither around Brooke or Peyton, especially Peyton, he didn't even know how she got the time to call or text him when she must be busy doing scenes, but it drove him crazy.

His phone vibrated on the top of the table cutting him off from what he was saying and he felt irritated because it also cut off his inspiration stream as he closed his eyes for a mere second and excused himself from Peyton and Haley as he got up taking the call,

"What, Lindsey?"

"What you doing, babe?" she asked faking a cheerful voice as she chewed on a gum rising up his temper even more.

"I'm working, with Peyton, you know, the real reason you called."

"Oh, baby, I'm just giving you a break, I know it's stressful between the three of you."

"Thanks for your concern, Lindsey, but we are okay, so please consider focusing on your job and let me focus on mine." He snapped hanging up and switching off his phone before going back to the two girls, "Sorry about that."

"No worries, is there a problem?" Haley questioned.

"No, it's just… nothing. I took care of it." He replied gulping down trying to get back into work, "So, where were we?"

"You were actually about to suggest a better amendment to the lyrics." Peyton reminded and he felt irritated again, because he knows it was good however, he can't remember it at all.

"Right, how about… um…" he trailed off looking at the written lyrics in front of him trying to get it back.

"How about roses are red, violets are blue, I have a parents' meeting I need to go to?" Haley cheerfully said standing up as Peyton scoffed.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nunca, mi amor." She said in a crappy Spanish accent sending her a kiss in the air which Peyton rolled her eyes to, "Bye-bye." She said before skipping out of the door leaving them alone once again, she hasn't been much of a help because the studio hours Julian could provide them for now contradicted with her duties as a mother.

Both shared a look before drifting their eyes away quickly; trying to ignore the line Haley used, 'roses are red, violets are blue' was a line they constantly used back in the days of their adventures, and Lucas specifically used to have various creative ways of using it, most of which were R-rated.

"Do you want to continue later?" Lucas suggested and she thought about it for a moment before giving a sigh shaking her head,

"No, Julian would kill us if we are not more productive, and I can't blame him. Besides, if we keep delaying every time Haley bails on us, we'll never finish a verse." She reasoned out and he knew she has a good point.

"Alright then, let's get to work."

Working with Peyton was easier than he thought it would be, he kept his head focused in the work, and it seemed like they had something in common, they were both passionate about what they are doing and they wanted to give it their best, however, they didn't necessarily see eye to eye as to how it should turn out to be, although they were being cautious for the time being not to clash, being more open to accept each other opinions and thoughts on the current song they are working on.

The lyrics was done, and Peyton has got a melody in her mind knowing how it is going to work out, but there was still something off, it still didn't feel like a perfect catch, it was as if two minds were on it, it wasn't harmonized, and they knew it.

"Alright, let's try it out and see what we can do." Lucas said picking up a guitar and strumming the melody she has been humming, "Is that it? What you have in mind?"

She nodded being caught by surprise, "I didn't know you played guitar." She scrunched up her nose in a way too familiar way for Lucas distracting him for a second.

"Oh, um, I don't, well, not really, just enough to help me write songs." He replied as she nodded, he continued playing out the song on the guitar and Peyton barely listened, taking in his figure, and how his muscles flexed holding the instrument.

When he finished, he looked up at her questioningly for she hasn't said any remarks so far, she quickly recovered shaking her head,

"You have such a horrible voice that I blacked out." She said and he let out a laugh.

"Alright then, let us hear yours."

"No, I'm not claiming I can sing, you're the one who picked up a guitar and started singing."

"Well, have a better idea?"

She was silent for a while before letting out a nervous breathe, "I don't know…"

"Maybe it's good that way, Peyton."

"No, it's not and you know it."

"Well, then what? Where is the issue?"

"I don't know, okay? Maybe I'm tired, let me sleep on it."

He rolled his eyes, "Fine. But, you'll not find anything I'm telling you." He shrugged.

She frowned and let out a scoff shaking her head with a chuckle.

"What?"

"It's typical Lucas Scott." She couldn't help but see the cockiness he acquired before.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you haven't changed one bit, Lucas, you still think you're the king of the world, no word must be said after yours and no one could know better than you." She said bitterly.

"What the fuck are you talking about? I never thought I'm the _king_ of anything." He couldn't believe his ears; where the hell did this come from?

"Oh, sure, you didn't. Right. So, the fact that little stupid Peyton could make the damn song better doesn't hurt your fucking ego."

"I… fuck, Peyton! I was just making a stupid remark! Fine, do it, take all the time you need in the world and make the song fucking marvelous, but you better do it, Peyton."

"Are you challenging me?" she hissed with narrowed eyes.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed in disbelief, "Quit looking too much in my words!"

"I'm not looking into anything, you're actually that obvious, Lucas."

"You know what? Yes, Peyton, I'm challenging you, because I think you're overrated, and you can't possibly match my magnificent talent. Is this what you wanna hear?"

She stared bitterly at him for a while, "You're a fucking jerk, Lucas." She said and snatched her copy of the song before storming off leaving him wonder what the fuck he even did wrong to trigger her like this.

**XxXxXx**

Next day as Lucas was early in the studio drumming his finger impatiently wondering what Peyton would have up her sleeve for him today, the door suddenly was pushed open, and she walked in with quick footsteps while her heel clicked on the floor, she slammed a piece of paper in front of him and he looked at it in confusion to see her handwriting crossing over his in some lines making changes to the lyrics, as he looked up he saw her standing with the guitar resting it on her thigh as she bent her long bare leg up on the chair getting ready to play him her version of the song.

She was confident, and she was passionate about it, and he was fully aware he was seeing something beautiful taking place, her voice wasn't the best, but he wasn't about to complain, the fact that she gave him a better view of her endless legs alone was enough to let her have everything she wanted, and in fact, the song was good, amazing even.

When she finished, she put the guitar down with a smirk as she looked at him noticing his astonishment and she knew she has won.

He shook his head with a smile, "That's… amazing, Peyt." He said using the shortened version of her name for the first time in seven years, and it slightly quickened her heartbeats.

"I know it is." She said taking a seat across from him.

He rolled his eyes, "Who's acting like the queen now?" he said and she gave him a shrug, "Fine, you get to be the queen." He said with a smile surprising both himself and her; he said it flirtatiously but more importantly, spontaneously. He cleared his throat, "Are you sure about the high notes though?"

"Yes, I am, trust me, it's going to sound better when it's recorded and composed." She said with a knowing smile that once again caught his eye.

"Alright, I trust you." He nodded with a shrug.

"Just like that." She said skeptical.

"Just like that." He confirmed, "After all, I make words and you give them melody, you're the one with a better taste."

"Good, glad we agree on something." She smirked ignoring that her mind played that sentence as a double-meaning, and he chuckled, "Shall we work on the next one?"

"Let's."

There was something that day, it has started off with him being worried about it, and wondering what kind of uneasiness she's gonna bring with her, but, as it turned out, it wasn't uneasiness she brought, on the contrary, it was something good, he couldn't name it, but there was something about her today and it made him wanting to spend more time with her.

Peyton came to prove herself, she knew she was kind of unfair the previous day, but, she wasn't about to let him think she's the old Peyton, the naïve insecure one that worshiped him and his opinion, that's why she came off a little stronger than needed on him, and she knew she would let him know her worth this day, and by the look of it, she wasn't mistaken.

"Hey, Peyton?" He asked in the middle of working putting his pen down.

"Mhmm?"

"Why the hell didn't we ever make songs together?" the question took her of guard as she looked up meeting his blue eyes that were already clouded with memories; is he for real right now? Is he actually going there?

"Probably because we were too busy hooking up." she wasn't going to be the one running from the truth.

It was his turn to be taken off guard from her boldness, but she wasn't wrong, it looked like this was all they did back then, "It's a shame we didn't explore other things, right?" he said in a low voice.

"Are you really going there, Lucas?" she narrowed her eyes with a snap; if he needed a reality check, she was more than glad to give it to him, she had no problem bringing it up, but, isn't he going to be the loser in this equation? It will only cause unnecessary drama.

"You're right, you're right," he quickly recovered, "I'm sorry." He said and focused on the papers in front of him once again, or at least pretended to.

But the damage was already done; he has already brought it up and all she can think about now was only memories of them having fun only for it to be covered with his pitiful look while saying he doesn't want to be with her.

She let out a huff and threw her phone and pen on the table, "You're an idiot, Lucas!"

He looked up at her utterly confused.

"Why the hell would you bring it up?"

He looked guiltily at her, "Peyton-"

"No, don't! You have no right. You had no right, Lucas."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"For what?" the Pandora box was opened, and she wasn't about to close it until she's satisfied, not when he has stirred her feelings and clouded her mind with uncalled for memories.

"For everything." He nodded gulping looking her in the eyes, "I… I know we never talked about it, but I'm truly and utterly sorry, Peyton."

"Yeah…"

"I am, I really am. In fact, in fact I do regret it." He admitted, "I wish I would take it all back, Peyton, I do. The truth is, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did..."

"Stop…"

"The truth is, I wanted what you wanted." He ignored her.

"Stop talking…"

"No, it's the truth, I was scared, Peyton, and I thought the right thing was for us to stay like we are, just friends, because face it, Peyt we only brought disasters whenever we-"

"Goddammit, Lucas stop talking." She snapped and he stopped only staring at her enraged eyes, "Why are you saying this now?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. Because you deserve the truth?"

"I deserved it back then."

He was at loss for words, "I'm sorry…"

"Well, yeah, it doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Peyton-"

"No, Lucas, this is in the past, we're different people now, and any wound that was caused back then is long healed, we are not those kids, and you're engaged now." She stated sternly, but she was talking to herself more than to him at this point, reminding herself that this needs to stay only professional, she can't risk falling under Lucas Scott's charms once again; the charms that she has been fighting since they started working together.

Lindsey's mention brought a sour taste in his throat; it was as if he actually needed a reminder of her to add her to the equation he's making at the moment, he doesn't know why he became nostalgic all of a sudden, no, in fact he does, Peyton's attitude and confidence brought back the wild side he was fascinated by back in high-school; the daring, strong, challenging woman she has grew to be was only an extension of the younger reckless adventurous naughty girl that only him got to know.

He was temporarily blinded by the power he didn't know she's still got over him, he didn't know if it was admiration, lust, desire, or -God forbid- even something more, but the sure thing is this day something was awaken between them and they would need to fight it in order to continue working in peace.

**XxXxXx**

Lucas heard the shower running in the bathroom as he laid on the bed ready to sleep, only he wasn't just about to, his mind wasn't resting, but rather digging into his memories and bringing up the most sacred ones of the one and only – _his_ one and only Peyton Sawyer.

He is very much aware that she was never really his, yet, she has always been if that made any sense, well to him it did.

He was also aware that he can't be thinking of her, that he shouldn't, and definitely not thinking of her as his, he already had another woman in this category and she was literally naked under the running water behind the door, and usually he'd want to join her, yet, he is lying in bed thinking about another woman.

It was wrong but he couldn't help it, he couldn't stop, he couldn't stop the rush of excitement he gets every time he visualizes the sight of her long legs in those shorts she wore the other day, and he can't help but wonder if she actually wore them on purpose; after all, Peyton knows he always had a thing for her legs.

He heard the running water stop and he quickly turned his back to the bathroom door pretending to be asleep; he wasn't in the mood for any exchanged words or any other activities Lindsey might have in mind. And shortly after, she walked in and started talking about her day and about something so funny Chris Keller had said earlier and when she didn't get a response from him, he felt the bed shifting as she quietly with a sigh slipped in bed next him with her back towards him drifting to sleep herself.

He stayed in the same position unable to sleep, and instead took a trip down the memory lane, going much further than the recent memory of that morning.

Lucas remembers the first time he ever kissed Peyton, it was a party and she has just broken up with his brother and they have had a connection for a while, they slipped into a room, closed the door, looked at each other for a moment before both jumping towards one another and the moment his lips collided with hers, he knew he was addicted and that he would want to taste those tender lips on his for as long as he lived, and so far, he was right.

He remembers watching her every movement and wondering how come she's a human being like everyone else, it seemed impossible that someone would move so gracefully, or look so marvelously beautiful, her curls would dance around her face, and her green eyes would shine brightly as she talked about things she likes, her laugh was melodious and brought cheer upon him. Whenever she caught him staring, she would either shyly look away or glare it him barely hiding a smile, either cases, he would send her a wink that he knew she secretly liked.

He remembers how with one single touch she could change everything, if he's mad it'd calm him, if he's tensed it'd relax him, if he's scared it would make him feel safe, and surely, it would turn him on anytime, and Peyton mastered her movements when it came to this case.

Once, he went home in a bad mood after they have lost a game and as he stood in front of his bed putting his things down, she, still in her cheerleading outfit snuck up behind him wrapping her arm over his shoulder and the other around his waist and he immediately relaxed his tensed shoulders pressing his back towards her before turning around to face her,

"_Funny, I was just thinking of running back to your house."_ He had said.

"_I'm right here."_ She had cupped his face with her hands and such as delicately kissed him, and when he was getting worked up pushing his hand under her cropped top, she had pulled away stopping him, _"Now, you've done your part; you've been a good player and you deserve some personal cheering." _She had said while unbuttoning his shirt as she stood staring completely under her spell, once done with the buttons she had pushed him on his bed, _"Get ready, the ecstasy train is taking off."_

And he remembers she really knew what she was talking about, for it really was quiet a memorable night –one of many, all of which has been floating in his mind from time to time and he has learned to toss them away, however, tonight, it wasn't possible; and strangely he didn't even want to.

Peyton was also good with her words; she was able to make him feel secured just by saying things will be fine, or that she's there for him. He felt uneasy thinking back to what he was to her in return; he cowardly told her they're better of as just friends… with the benefits of course. He doesn't know how he possibly thought it was the right thing, they have had their fair share of ups and downs, and they have managed to survive it all and stay friends, and that moment she approached him, this was it, the last chance, and he blew it blowing up their whole relationship in the process.

He keeps wondering what if this wasn't his answer, what if he has said it's all he wanted all along to be with her, but he, being the stupid arrogant teenager he was back then, he thought that it was all he wanted, he thought that _this_ –what they had- was him having her, and as he grew to realize, he was the farthest from it.

He doesn't know what kind of couple they would have been, but, he imagines it to be something else, they could have gone to college together, or even survive a long-term relationship; they have survived much worse after all, they could have worked their ways to their separate success together aside each other, or they could have been two young people in love travelling the world together, they could have been anything and it would have been beautiful. He doesn't think he'd be lying in bed next Peyton and he'd be busy thinking about another girl while pretending to be asleep.

This thought brought tightness to his chest suffocating him, he swung his legs to the side of the bed sitting up; it sound like he's not going to get any sleep anyway, he'd better find himself something to do before his mind drives him crazy.

**XxXxXx**

Peyton was frustrated turning and tossing in her bed unable to sleep, and she cursed Lucas Scott for it; wither intentionally or unintentionally, he has re-opened her wounds earlier that day, even though she tried hiding it, but in the end the truth is, a part of her never settled the aching dilemma of why he had to break her heart that way, she couldn't have imagined him caring for her, no, it was true, he was there for her in ways no one else was and it's not like she asked this of him, no, it was his own doing, his own instinct, so, why and when did he turn to that cold-hearted jerk in the end? And how couldn't she see it? Was she that deep drowning in his charms?

She thought she was over it, no, she _is_ over it, it's been seven freaking years for God's sake, but, it's seven years during which she never met him, and now that it has happened, it reminded her of all the unsaid things.

She thought that time healed everything, she thought that since they were kids, it was supposed to be stupid, supposed to be impulsive feelings, and that later on, she would be able to experience the real thing, but the truth is, she hasn't felt this way about someone else after Lucas, and she wasn't ready to admit that maybe just maybe this –what she had with Lucas, was in fact the real thing, but even if, don't feelings drought with time?

She dreadfully began to realize that it was never really over, Lucas never properly let her go, set her free, and she never really sought that; she never told him he was wrong, never really screamed at him and told him what she really thinks of him, never told him she didn't deserve that and that she deserved better, never told him that it's not his amazing self or her being weak that made her so loyal to him, but it was rather her strong feelings towards him, the fact that she realized she loved him and chose not to hold it back risking losing everything including herself and her best friend at a point, unlike him and his stone-like heart.

With a huff she turned around and opened her eyes looking at the alarm on her bedside and read 2:14 a.m. This is fucked up! Why is he the one at fault and she is the one who's up late in the night?

Damn you Julian for bringing him back!

She stared at the ceiling with her eyes wide open giving up on trying to sleep, she wondered if she's the only one affected by this arrangement Julian sat up for them strangely bringing her whole high-school squad back together like a puppet master. For a fact, Haley and Nathan's situation had to be more awkward than hers, especially with Jamie, and she never knew how her best friend feels about it either, Lucas and Nathan disappeared from her life too when they disappeared from Peyton's and Haley's, however, Brooke was the one always asking them how it's going and she forgot to ask her back.

And Lucas; she wondered how he's dealing with all of it, he has a fiancée, he's ready to get married and his past, a huge part of his past just jumped back in his life, she wondered how this affected him, and his relationship with Lindsey, she couldn't help but notice whenever they were on set instead of the studio, that something seems off between them, she didn't want to look too much in it, but it was there in front of her to pick up on.

She gasped as her phone suddenly vibrated blaring through the utter silence and she checked the time again and it was sure beyond two in the morning. She reached out for the phone and her heart skipped a beat reading Lucas' name flashing on the screen as she sat up straight in her bed and answered carefully placing the phone on her ear.

"Peyton,"

"Lucas." She said it in a more surprised tone; as if she expected it to be some sort of a mix up. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes, yes, it is. Did I wake you?"

This was a tricky part; she knew she was up thinking about him, so, she didn't know if she should lie or just tell the truth, and despite her instinct telling her to say she was peacefully sleeping with an eased mind, she didn't, "No, I was up."

"Me too, I couldn't sleep either." He breathed out in relief and she waited for his reasons of deciding to call in the middle of the night, "I, um, I was working and I came up with something, I think it's pretty good though, I was excited so I decided to test my luck and call."

"You're calling at 2:30 in the middle of the night to run lyrics by me?"

When she put it like that in a sentence, he felt stupid, it could have waited till the morning –no, it _should_ have waited. But, instead, while he was in the middle of debating wither to call her or not, he found himself dialing her number and it wasn't until he heard the ringing tone that he realized he's actually calling her in the middle of the night.

He gave a nervous chuckle, "I'm sorry about that, I guess I lost track of time." A simple lie to get him out of this was legit. "I guess it's better to talk about it in the morning."

Peyton was amused, she could hear his nervousness and it was something she liked. She gave a sigh, "We're already up and talking, so, just hit me." She said and could feel his smile through the phone when he told her to hold for a minute and for about the next hour, they stayed up on the phone talking business, but both knew deep down it was a seven years late booty call of another kind.

**XxXxXx**

"Peyton! The blue gown not the turquoise." Brooke glared scolding her and she rolled her eyes handing her the blue one when Brooke has specifically asked for the turquoise one just minutes earlier; Brooke was a tight-ass boss, Peyton has known this for years, yet she keeps agreeing on helping her every time she asks, and it didn't help that she was sleep-deprived from her late night work call of last night. But, she mainly wanted to spend time with her best friend, they're roommates but recently they haven't had the chance to spend quality best-friend time due to the movie.

"Are you okay?" Brooke asked her after she gave Lindsey her outfit for her next scene.

"Yes, yes, I just didn't sleep well last night."

"And why is that?" Brooke asked knowingly, she has been expecting disturbance to take place.

"No reason really…" Peyton shrugged and Brooke gave her a look and a raised eyebrow, but before she got to start pulling out the detective inside her, their conversation was interrupted by Lucas.

"Ladies." He greeted.

"Scott." Brooke scoffed, she has been giving him and Nathan a hard time accepting them back in her life, she's not mad, she just didn't like them –specifically Lucas- pretending that they haven't fallen out of each other lives for years.

"I brought you coffee as a compensation." He said addressing Peyton as he extended his hand towards her with the paper cup.

"Thank you, that'd be helpful."

"Compensation for what?" Brooke inquired; of course it wouldn't go by her unnoticed.

"Keeping her up."

"I see, _you_ kept her up." she raised an eyebrow looking at Peyton who rolled her eyes.

"Working, Brooke."

"Of course." She nodded obviously not buying it, and Peyton knew there would be more talking about this later.

"Great to see you all getting along." Julian said standing next to Brooke wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she brushed it off sending him a quick glare which he ignored, "Listen, there's a party tonight, the whole cast and crew, my house, don't be late." He told them enthusiastically, "I'll be waiting ya." He said poking Brooke's cheek with his finger teasingly and she slapped his hand away as he chuckled and left.

"Good seeing you too, Julian." Peyton called after him.

"Brooke! This doesn't look fitting." Lindsey objected, "Will you fix it?"

Brooke grumbled obviously irritated at the rapid turn up of unpleasant people saying unpleasant stuff all in just five minutes; however she turned around and went after Lindsey.

"Sounds like a good morning." Lucas commented taking a sip of his coffee before looking at the green eyed girl next him, "I guess I'll be seeing you tonight then." He said sending her an all too familiar wink before leaving to go talk to his brother.

Things are getting more and more interesting by the second.

**XxXxXx**

Peyton thought this must be the worst party she's ever been to, she has come with Brooke and Haley and it wasn't so long until they both disappeared one after the other to God knows where, she has looked around for other familiar faces and she saw a few and talked to a few however she still found herself alone roaming around, she didn't even find Julian or Nathan which made her wonder if their disappearance has anything to do with her two best friends.

However, Lucas was there along with Lindsey and Chris by the bar, and he didn't seem to be having the best time either, Lindsey and Chris were talking and he was just sitting seemingly uninterested in whatever they were laughing about, he turned meeting her gaze and she immediately looked away having been caught staring.

Lucas has come determined to spend a night with his fiancée, a night that maybe would fix the fracture in their relationship, but as it came to it, he began to feel like a third wheel to her and Chris, to be fair, Lindsey has been trying to include him in the conversation but he just wasn't interested, and he found himself thinking back about his own co-worker. Lindsey has wanted to dance to a song she knew Lucas wasn't keen of and Chris offered to be her partner and Lucas let them go and busied himself looking for Peyton.

She was picking up another drink from the bar when he approached her, "Nice party, huh?" he said.

"_So_ nice that I am about to leave." She said sarcastically as he chuckled; he knew she found it boring because it was full of crew and cast; she sees them basically every day, Peyton likes partying with strangers more.

"Yeah, I'm bored too." He admitted.

She finished her drink and put it on the bar behind her, "Well, you have to deal with it, I'm leaving." She didn't like what has been going on; it seemed to her that Lucas was trying to work his way into being a friend once again, and she wasn't comfortable with that.

"No, wait. Stay." He said holding her wrist sending electricity down both of their spines due to the touch and he quickly let go.

"I'm tired." She cleared her throat ignoring what just happened.

"Come on, Peyton, we are almost done working with each other and who knows if we'll ever be able to catch up."

"Catch up."

"Yeah, don't you want to?"

She thought about it; he was right, they were almost done and she was planning on not seeing him again, so, what harm could one night do? "Fine."

He beamed, "Wanna dance?"

"Lucas…" she shook her head with a pleading look but he wasn't about to take a no for an answer.

"Come on."

"You're a terrible dancer!" she reminded.

"How do you know that didn't change?"

She laughed, "No, impossible, you are _that_ bad."

He grumbled, "Fine!" he frowned.

She laughed at his childishness and he smiled at the sound of her laugh.

"Hey, Peyton?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know from the beginning you will be working with me?"

"No. Julian intentionally hid this fact until I signed the contract."

"Would you have signed it? If you'd known?"

She paused thoughtfully for a moment, "I don't know, I guess no." she said honestly and he nodded although it caused an ache in his chest.

"I didn't know until the morning of our first meeting. I wonder why he didn't say."

"Julian is my ex." She told him.

"Oh," suddenly he didn't like Julian after this new piece of information. "So, that's how he…"

"Yeah…"

He wondered what Julian knows exactly, has she told him everything? Or just that they used to be friends and stopped? How even does she describe him as?

"You know making a duet was a good idea." She changed the topic; Lucas has suggested one of the songs is better a duet, and as they ran it by Julian and the director and the rest of the group, they all agreed it's a good idea, and it was established that Haley and Chris would sing it.

"Yeah, it felt right." He said; what he didn't tell anyone is that the inspiration of this song was actually based on the many memories that have been chasing him.

"You must be excited to see your words turn into music."

"I am, songwriting is something new that I'd like to focus on more you know, it's exciting especially that Haley is the one singing them and they're even intended for a movie, I don't know, it feels like more responsibility, I want Haley to start her career with the right songs, and there's the fact that those songs are for a movie…it's all too scary to be honest." he rambled and she thought it's cute.

"Don't worry they'll turn out just fine. I'll make sure of it."

"I know you will." He nodded looking down at her as she smiled nervously under his gaze and looked away, however he examined her features and appreciated how she grew to be this beautiful young woman reaching a whole new level of attractiveness. "Why did you change your hair?"

She shrugged, "Change is required."

"I loved your blond curls." He said reaching out to hold a strand of her hair twisting it on his finger. "But, I gotta say ash-brown waves look sexy on you." His voice turned husky as he tucked it behind her ear and let his hand lingers there almost cupping her cheek.

She looked at his blue eyes and her heart skipped a beat as she got lost gazing at the familiar ocean blue orbs sinking into their depths for a while. She felt his hand contact her cheek in a feather touch and she automatically pressed her cheek into his balm as his fingers stroked behind her ear creating a beautiful sensation she's missed.

He reached his other hand to cup her other cheek allowing his thumps to move up and down her cheek calmingly as he began moving closer.

That was when Peyton's hands flew up holding each of his arms pulling them down slowly, "I have to go, Lucas." She said looking in his eyes for no longer than one second and didn't wait for his answer before turning around.

He stood there looking after her and it hit him what just happened. What was that? Was he really leaning in to kiss her? With his fiancée around? How fucked up is he going to get yet?

**XxXxXx**

That was it. They are finally wrapping it up, all the songs are written, and they had a clear imagination of how each song is going to turn out, they were just meeting with Chris and Haley and it's done, his work is done and the rest is on Peyton. It was a late in the night and they have decided to finish everything this night.

He was wrapping up his stuff while Peyton decided to stay a little bit longer to prepare for her work the next day.

"Do you… need any help?" he asked basically looking for reasons not to go; he has come to admit to himself the fact that Peyton is bringing a beautiful sense in his life ever since she walked back in it, despite all its messiness, and she doesn't even know half of it.

"What? You'll start producing music now too?"

"I could." He shrugged with a smile.

"Lucas Scott, always being the multi-tasked man." She shook her head with a smile; she has been teasing him about this since high-school, how he played basketball, worked in the workshop with Keith and started writing a book, and managing to perfect them all, she said he doesn't like having something that crosses his path and not be able to do it, and she was right.

"Yup, that would be me."

"What happened to that book anyway?" she frowned curiously; all she knew back then that he was writing a book, he said he'll let her read it when it's over, but they never made it that long.

Lucas didn't expect her to ask and therefor, didn't know how to answer; the reason why he didn't let her read the book was because he was unsure how she'd react, he was scared it would ruin what they had, simply because the book was basically a declaration of how he truly feels about her, when they fell apart, all inspiration was lost; he was lost, he didn't know why he pushed her away or how to fix it, but when he faced the fact that he misses her, his active imagination brought the inspiration back based again on his memories of her.

"It… I couldn't get it to be published." He partially lied, well, not really; it depends on her understanding of the statement.

She nodded, "That's a shame. I was sure it was gonna be great, but you made it anyway."

"Right." He smiled and sat down again next her in front of the big table in the meeting room. "We both did."

"Yeah…"

"For the record, I never told you how proud I was when I heard about your success, Peyton, I always knew you'll make it." He told her sincerely.

His eyes were hard not to gaze at in general, and especially when he's pouring his heart out; his eyes always spoke to her and she liked their language always being able to read it through his intense gaze.

She heartedly smiled at him, "Thank you, Lucas." She said softly and could see his smile widen as she said his name, so, she knew she had to stop him, "Now, I believe you were leaving." She said and suppressed her laugh at his face mocking hurt.

"Ouch. Are you kicking me out?"

"Yes, I need to work. And I think Lindsey misses you too." She purposely reminded him of his fiancée whom he tends to forget.

"We…" he anticipated wither or not to say he doubts she'll be missing him, "I don't think so, she must be in bed now, anyway."

"Still doesn't mean you're staying."

"Peyt…" he whined like a little boy and her first instinct was to pinch his cheek and drop a kiss.

"What do you want, Lucas?" she exclaimed.

"To stay?"

"Why?" she raised an eyebrow challengingly.

"It's the last time we're here together."

"Why do I get the feeling you'll make sure it's not?"

He smiled, "Probably because I will."

"Lucas…" she said her face getting serious now, she didn't know what he was doing but she is really fighting the urge to give in to him.

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I just… I guess I just miss you." He admitted with his heart pounding through his ears, he knows they have been avoiding any emotional talking, but it was there no deny, they have also ignored what happened at the party and pretended nothing happened at all, which for him wasn't true, he knew what was about to take place and putting morals aside, he knew it would have been good, probably perfect.

"Lucas…" she shook her head standing up; she was trying to escape this –has been all along.

"What, Peyton? Don't you?" he said mirroring her actions and blocking her way in case she was going to escape; he felt suppressed, he has a lot of unsaid stuff and she has been cutting him off every time he tries to let it out.

"This is not the point, Lucas we are only here for-"

"For work, yeah, so you say, but, you're not made of stone, Peyton, you can't just ignore that we…" he stopped midsentence honestly not knowing how to put it.

"That we were friends with benefits." She said bitterly.

"Peyton…" he shook his head; this was not at all what he wanted to say.

"Because that's what we were, Lucas." She continued ignoring him, "That's all we were. Just sex. So, if that's what you miss, if this is a booty call, I'm sorry, it's not happening." She said and cursed her voice for cracking and her tears from showing.

"What? No, no." he said softly putting his hands on her arms and she weakly brushed them away and instead he wrapped his arms around her and she tried to push him away but once he pulled her in his embrace she stopped, "This was never just it, Peyton, you mean so much more."

Those were the words she has wanted to hear seven years ago, had she heard them back then, everything would have been different.

"You were, and always will be so damn precious, Peyton Sawyer, don't you know that?" He said and cupped her face pushing it back from his chest to look into her teary eyes. She was hypnotized in this moment by the closeness that she found security in and his long craved words; the words that would have got a seventeen years old Peyton so smitten, however not the twenty-five year old version of herself, but in the moment she was possessed by the younger one who needed all of this.

"You're an idiot, Luke." She cried and he couldn't help but smile at her using a nickname, he always does. "You should have told me that before."

"I know, I'm sorry." He whispered, his heart melting as he lost all senses of rationality.

"You're an idiot." She repeated in a squeaky voice.

She was so small in between his arms, he eyed her gulping back her tears that were already straining her face and her glassy eyes staring back at him, and he was shot with a sudden wave of dizziness, he could feel the force pulling their bodies closer as if it was some magnetic force, it was beyond his control and it seemed like what was going to happen next is definite, he was sure she could feel it too, she wants it too.

She has forgotten what his body feels against hers, and how intoxicating having him this close actually is. And God did she forgot how heavenly his lips felt against hers, and it wasn't until they met that she could feel the old flames burning and the strings being pulled as both released a moan at the contact. Their lips moved in sync for a few seconds until he demanded more moving his tongue over her lower lip.

Once granted access he growled putting his hands on her ass lifting her up to the table and her legs found their way around his waist while their tongues battled in her mouth for dominance.

He felt it all coming back, what he has been suppressing and ignoring finally surfaced and unleashed and he wasn't able to hold it back, he doesn't know what it is about her that makes her so special from everyone else, that makes her the only one who has this effect on him, the only one who tastes so heavenly good and always knows when to give and stop giving.

He hungrily pushed her down on top of the papers scattered on the table and moved his lips from her mouth trailing kisses down towards her neck where he sucked on an old familiar spot knowing it is going to leave a mark, glad to know he still remembers the right place that brings out a moan from her.

It wasn't until his hands were under her shirt cupping her breast over the fabric of her bra that Peyton was alarmed in a déjà vu.

"Stop, stop, Lucas, stop." She said pushing his hands away and he lifted his face up from her body looking at her lustfully in confusion while she avoided his eyes sitting up forcing him to do the same.

"What happened?"

"We can't do this, Lucas." She said still avoiding his eyes as she hopped of the table and awkwardly fixed her clothes buttoning the buttons that has made undone just seconds earlier, "It's not fair, not to me, and not to Lindsey." She said picking up her bag not bothering to collect her papers as she dared to look in his eyes one last time, and what sent chills to her bones is that she didn't see regret in them, the lust was gone, but it was replaced with sadness, and she can't handle that, she can't handle him not feeling bad about this.

Because she was feeling horrible; she can't believe she has let her guard down like this allowing a moment of weakness to overcome her and be in charge. She was disgusted with herself, mostly due to the discovery that Lucas Scott could still make her weak to her knees. It was so pathetic how he managed to do it just with a few words.

She left without any exchange of other words, and he was lost once again; why does it have to be so complicated, while in a weird place in his relationship and in his career, he had to find the thing that seemed to make it somehow better but even this is complicating things even more, is it him? Is the problem in him? _Is he the problem_?

However, as they both were consumed in their own thoughts, neither saw nor noticed Chris Keller around.

**XxXxXx**

Peyton has agreed to help Brooke out once again, she thought it could take her mind off of everything and help her get over what has happened the night before, it was a moment of weakness, but it counted, and she hated it. She's already felt bad as she shamefully hid the mark on her neck this morning, she has decided to avoid Lucas at all costs, she won't allow him in once again and this is how it needs to be done.

He can't just come saying those stupid words childishly feeding the ego of her seventeen year old version, the naïve stupid girl who wanted nothing but to know she's special to him, but, now, that's only like the lamest thing he could say. She doesn't want Lucas in her life, she hasn't for a long time; he has proven to be a toxic addition before and he's doing nothing but repeating the past right now.

She was arranging customs for Brooke when suddenly angry footsteps were approaching her,

"You bitch!" Lindsey angrily screamed at her loud enough for everyone in the location to stop whatever they are doing and stare at the promising new gossip. "You think you can just swoop in our lives and steal _my_ fiancé?"

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" Although, she was guilty of kissing him, she wasn't trying to steal anyone!

Lindsey gave a sarcastic chuckle, "Oh, you innocent angel, did you think I wouldn't find out?" she raised an eyebrow with her hand on her waist looking at Peyton up and down, "Look at you, did you really think he'd choose you over me?" she smirked coldly.

"What's going on here?" Brooke appeared coming to her best friend's defense.

"Haven't you told your bestie of your plans, Peyton?" she cocked her head to the side.

"What plans? And why the hell are you talking like you're the queen of the fucking world?!" Brooke snapped.

"Because you're damn right I am! Your precious friend here is seducing my fiancé to steal him back, but, what you don't know darling is that you never had him in the first place, he's been toying with you back then, and he's toying with you right now. He's just looking for a quick easy fuck."

"You fucking bitch!" Brooke angrily marched over and was about to slap Lindsey but Peyton stopped her holding her back.

"Brooke, Brooke! She's not worth it." She said and Brooke looked at her in disbelief and rising rage, Peyton turned to Lindsey, "I don't know what crazy ideas you've got in your mind, but if you're so triggered by the fact that your fiancé is looking for a _quick easy fuck_ that you make a scene screaming it to everyone, maybe you should really be careful, because if that's what he wants, he'll get it anyway, seeing your relationship is obviously… fragile."

"You fucking whore." She slapped her.

"That's it, bitch." Brooke screamed pushing her in the chest, so Lindsey pushed her back and Peyton tried to stop them but Lindsey pushed her too, so, it turned into a cat fight and crew members had to pull the three apart.

"You have the courage to say this to my face after fucking making out with him you fucking bitch!" Lindsey screamed fighting to reach her again but being held back by people. "He'll never be yours after being with me, stupid bitch."

"You can both rot in hell for all I care." Peyton screamed back.

"You're not even denying it!"

"Maybe you should be worried about your fiancé's own doing before making scenes."

"Shut up, you hear me, shut up retarded home-wrecker."

"Oh, fuck you, you heard her, he's gone after her, you moron." Brooke yelled back.

"As if."

Peyton finally broke free from whoever was holding her and walked over towards Lindsey with a frown on her face, "I have no interest whatsoever in your fiancé, whatever problems you've got with him go fix it with him and don't drag me into it." She clarified sternly before pushing through the watching crowd leaving the whole set and then she found herself running with a clouded vision until she reached her car and drove off with loud sobs, it wasn't until she was safe between the walls of her room that her sobs turned into screams.

This was her fault though; she let things get too far when she should have stopped strictly at the limit of only business, she shouldn't have let herself enjoy his looks or her ears to crave his voice, she shouldn't have let him get so close because whenever Lucas Scott appears in her life, he manages to successfully ruin it.

**XxXxXx**

Lucas tried calling her again and like the fifty thousand earlier times, it went straight to voicemail, it's been over a week since the incident that took place on set, Lucas wished he was there, he would have prevented it, he would have took the fall, he would have saved Peyton from the humiliation that she faced.

He received his fair share of scolding from Brooke who told him what happened and warned him to stay away from Peyton and stop messing with her life, he was at shook at first of having her even knowing what took place between him and Peyton and from the fact that Lindsey knows too, she hasn't even asked him, she just went straight to Peyton.

He has went to Lindsey and they had a huge fight, he was ready to take it all, and prepared himself to apologize as long as it takes, he knew he was at fault, but things took another turn, the thing is, she wasn't even hurt by the fact that he kissed Peyton, no, it was the fact that he did it to her, it was like all that mattered was her damaged ego as to how could he have her and even consider looking at another woman, and he naturally found himself defending Peyton. All in all, it was ugly, and it evolved into all unsaid stuff, the things that they have been avoiding for months, how they can no longer hold a conversation, how they no longer have anything in common, her flirting with Chris corresponding with him spending time with Peyton and how neither of them thought for a moment that they have a wedding to plan.

He doesn't know where they stand now, but, he hasn't been staying in their apartment since and instead moved in with Nathan until he figures out what to do.

"She still ignores you?" Nathan asked him keeping his eyes on the TV. "Assuming you'd be trying to get in touch with Peyton of course."

"Why'd you assume that?"

"Because I know you." He shrugged with a smirk.

"Yeah, she is." He sighed seeing no point in denying.

"Dude, you're screwed." Nathan commented.

"Jeez, thanks for the spirit."

"I get it though," he smirked looking at his puzzled look, "Why'd you pick Peyton, I get it."

"And why is that?" he asked knowing his brother is cooking some lame-ass joke in his mind.

"You're perfect together, you two would brood together in bed."

"Nathan!" he exclaimed disapprovingly as Nathan just laughed.

"I'm only saying, man. You know, I-"

"Don't even finish that." He scrunched up his nose as Nathan laughed again, "And for the record, it's not true."

"What isn't?"

"It's not like that… you know _brooding_, in bed."

"Dude, I was there." He smirked.

"Yeah, maybe it's just you." He said knowing this will shut him up.

He smiled shaking his head, "Whatever, man, get her back first then speak!"

"Yeah, if I know how I would." He muttered.

Nathan rolled his eyes knowing he's dancing between decisions in his head, "Luke, be true to yourself! You can't have both, you can't have half a relationship and you can't get what you want just by simply showing up and ignore words! Make up your mind." Although Lucas felt like his brother's words were related to his own ongoing dilemma, but, he was right. He was trying to have everything and it collapsed above his head, especially for the spreading rumors in the press about the love triangle, they haven't got the story straight but they have come up with every possible scenario.

"I don't know what I want."

Nathan looked at him with a sarcastic smirk and scoffed, "Seriously?!"

"Alright, let's say I do, how in the hell am I supposed to fix a seven year patch?"

"So much for not knowing what you want." He remarked but kept talking anyway, "You speak, Lucas, you speak, show, prove and be sincere."

"I would if she'd let me." Peyton has disappeared, she doesn't answer her phone and she doesn't go to the studio or the set anymore, she has told Julian that she'd finish up the songs her way, he has tried going to her label, a Mia told him she doesn't come and that he should stop looking for her, he went to her home where he was met by hurricane Brooke once again.

"I might or might not be able to help you with this if it's really what you want."

"What do you mean? You know where I can find her?"

"Do you really want to find her?"

"Yes, Nathan, I do." He snapped getting impatient. "I need to make thing right."

"Yeah, you better, big bro."

As soon as Nathan gave him the address of Peyton's current working place, Lucas jumped in his car and went straight there, it was a small place and it looked like everything Peyton would have that he wondered how she managed to set it up so quickly.

"You've got to be kidding me." Peyton said as she looked up seeing him standing in front of her; is there any Scott that can be trusted? She put down the headphones in her hand and stood up folding her arms over her chest in a defense mechanism, "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"I would have called you back if I wanted to."

"Peyton, please, I'm so sorry, I never wanted this to happen."

"Yeah, well, you don't always get what you want in real life."

"Listen to me, please, Peyt, I know you're upset, but, let me fix it, please?"

"I don't want you fixing it, and I don't want you doing anything, Lucas, enough is enough."

"I… I didn't know Lindsey even knew, I swear, she went straight to you, and then when I knew what happened, I… we had a fight, and it was pretty ugly, Peyton, I'm pretty sure it's over."

"My condolences!"

"No, you don't get it. It's how it's supposed to be, Peyton, don't you think we met again for a reason? Don't you feel it?"

"What are you saying, Lucas?" she sighed.

"I think -I feel, we deserve a second chance, Peyton."

"What?" she dismissed.

"Peyton, we've been through a lot together and… and we went to hell and back, and here we are after all this time, still with the same flames, with the same passion, yes, I was a dick back then, I should have told you what I really wanted instead of being a coward, but, the truth is, it has always been you that I-"

"Oh my God, Lucas, do you even hear what you're saying?" she cut him off scorning his whole speech, "Are you for real?"

"Peyton, I know you're upset and hurt, but please don't let what Lindsey did affect-"

"What the hell are you blaming Lindsey for? There's not a word she said that is not true, she has every right to too. When she said I'm a bitch, she was right, when she said you have always been _toying_ with me, she was right, and when she said you will never ever look at me, she was absolutely right. So, cut the crap already."

"What? No, this is so not true, Peyton, how can you believe that?"

"How can I? Why the hell are you here, Lucas? You're here just because it's screwed up with Lindsey, because when you find yourself stuck, you run to your safe option, you just don't want to be left alone, you don't want to admit defeat, you don't want to be the one dumbed, Lucas, so, you're here to prove everything is going by your terms."

"Alright, I'mma need to stop you right there, because you've got a wild imagination, Peyton, why don't we just calm down and-"

"For God's sake, Lucas!" she rolled her teary eyes, "It's not fucking the first time! You did it all the damn time back in high-school and you're here doing it again, you're here because _you're pretty sure it's over_ with Lindsey." She mocked his own words, "But, you know what, I did let you use me back in the time, not because I didn't know how to say no, or that your charms were undeniable, but because I wanted you to, Lucas, I… I foolishly thought that if I gave you what you want, if I'm always there for you, I'd win your heart back, Lucas, I thought that one day you'd see me. But I was just a naïve dreamy teenager."

"I never used you, Peyton, I have always had feelings for you and you know that."

"You never used me? You kept draining me when it was so obvious I needed more Lucas, but that's okay, that was completely with my own consent, but to try to get me to bed again after I told you loud and clear I have feelings for you? That's something else!"

"I never intended to use you, Peyton, and I know how it looks like, but, I swear, I never mean to hurt you that way."

She humorlessly laughed, "It doesn't matter what you meant, what matters is what came out of your mouth when I had said I wanted to be in a real relationship with you, Lucas."

"Dammit, Peyton, I have wanted that first, remember? I wanted to be with you and to have it all with you, Peyton, and you said no. Twice. And yet I didn't hold it against you like you're doing, because I realize you were scared, just like I was."

"You're right, I said no twice, but I had the curtsey to stop anything from happening between us when I knew you wanted more, Lucas. Yes, the first time I was scared, I wasn't ready to admit having feelings for you, and when you said you do, I stopped you Lucas, and the second time you have just broken up with my best friend, you were off limits, and I still was clear on where I stand."

"But I wasn't off limits when I was actually dating her now, was I?" he said bitterly.

"You bastard." She laughed, "See? You're still the same fucking jerk, Lucas. Fine, have it your way, I'm the bitch."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it that way. But, you need to be reasonable, Peyton. I've had a crush on you for forever and I tried getting with you twice and both times I was rejected, the third time it was an affair that we both started and that was enough for it to go down the hell I know, when we tried being friends, we ended up sleeping together and that seemed like the only relationship that worked for us, and I didn't want to risk that."

"Right, so, you tried to fuck me like nothing happened." She said referring to the last encounter between them back in the days.

"Believe it or not, I thought this was us being normal, I thought this was me helping you, this was our way of dealing with our problems, Peyton. I know it's stupid, but that's how my mind worked back then."

"Stop kidding yourself, Lucas."

"God, why don't you believe me, it's been seven fucking years."

"Because, the truth is, Lucas, you never loved me. You may have had a crush on me but the second I said no, you didn't wait for me to be ready, you didn't even take time to be sad, you went straight to my best friend as if punishing me for saying no, and the second time, we took time apart only for you to come back wanting to be with _her_ again not me. And even when we started something, Lucas, it was physical; this was you fulfilling what you didn't get before." It pained her to say those words out loud, but they were what she knew deep down and they were what she needed to finally get over him.

"No," he shook his head with glassy eyes, "no, Peyton, this is unfair, you can't claim I never loved you, you can't be the judge of that, no." his throat was hurting from the unshed swallowed tears, but her words hurt all over the rest of his body, starting from the heart and spreading around.

"It's actions against words, Lucas."

"No, Peyton, it's not just that, what about feelings, huh? Don't tell me we never had a connection, why in the hell would I keep caring for you, didn't you always say that I always save you? Why would I do that? Peyton, we were there for each other all the damn time, you were the one I always went to when I'm down, and you did the same, right? We were basically a couple, anyway, we just never labeled it; we did everything a real couple would do, what do you call that? Why would I do all of that with you if I never loved you?" he was getting desperate and tired of the emotional train they are taking.

"It was no strings attached, Lucas, you could have walked out any moment." She whispered getting tired too of all the tears she's shed.

"So, a commitment is what you need? Fine, I want to commit with you with everything in me."

"It _was_ what I needed, Lucas."

"Then what the hell do you want now? Tell me, and I'll do it whatever it is, Peyton, just tell me."

"I want you out of my life."

"Peyton, please."

"Just leave, Lucas."

"But, I love you."

"Maybe if you said this seven years ago, or hell even during those said years it would have mattered, but it means nothing now."

"Peyton…" he begged.

"Goodbye, Lucas." She said with a clear voice despite her running tears.

He didn't know what to say; how could he when he's just figuring out his true feelings as he spoke them? He stared at her for a moment hoping that he'll find anything that would make her change her mind, or to find any sign of doubt but it pained him to find none, she was serious; she wanted him out of the door and out of her life. And as he walked out, he felt like he was cutting out a part of his flesh and leaving it behind, like he has been carrying her around in his heart, but now she took his heart with her and left, and he realized this is how much he screwed up.

**XxXxXx**

Haley walked in her apartment where she has left Lucas who has agreed to babysit his nephew who was still oblivious to their blood relation to see them playing a video game and her son was on the edge of his seat excited to beat his cool uncle Lucas in the basketball match, Lucas was pretending to be having trouble scoring against the infant.

It was a picture that warmed her heart, Lucas has been around Jamie more since Jamie's accident, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was all Lucas' own doing, but then she remembered what she just learned that her former best friend is the same jackass that she fell out of contact with. She waited until their game was over and Jamie celebrated his big win and greeted her when her presence was finally noticed and then she told him to go to his room so she'd have a word with uncle Lucas.

"You haven't changed one bit have you?" she instantly attacked.

"Um, excuse me?" he frowned confused and feeling insulted.

"The moment your crown slightly shifts you run to Peyton to fix it for you. Lucas this is exactly you repeating the past."

"Oh my God, not you too, Haley." He said already feeling tired of this broken record, and he's already still hurt by Peyton's.

"I thought things changed since we're older now." She ignored him.

"It has. I have," he confirmed feeling the need to explain himself, "I understand I'm a little too late for realizing what I want, or no, I'm not late, I have known that I want to be with Peyton all along but I thought I could live with it, but, when I saw her again, God, did I realize how much I really missed her, and why it never worked out with someone else, not even my fiancée, and I know it's a long shot but I thought it was worth the try, fully aware that she might not feel the same way, but to have her accusing me of things like me never loving her, that is unbearable."

"Wait, what?" she was wrapping her head around his blabbering and the fact that he's the one complaining and feeling hurt, "You're hurt by her words." She said it in a matter of fact tone.

"Yes, Haley, I'm hurt, despite what you three believe, I'm human after all." He said offended.

"You can't be blaming her, Lucas." She shook her head, "How do you expect her to think?"

"Logically, maybe? Why would she think I never loved her when everything I have ever done was only for _and_ with her?"

"Are you really that dumb?" she gawked, "Okay, let me simplify it to you," she said like she speaks with her six year old son, "You two were having fun together in high-school and while you wanted nothing more, she had her feelings for you growing more day by day, you literally had to be blind not to see it, Lucas, we all knew it." She started and he already started feeling ache in his chest.

Haley continued as he gulped down the lump forming in his throat, "She told you and you basically said you don't feel the same way, at this point she was crushed but she blamed it on herself for getting her hopes up high on her own, she didn't blame you nonetheless, Lucas even though you should have been more careful."

"I thought this was the right decision." He mumbled like a kid who is being scolded.

She rolled her eyes, "Right, you say this, Lucas, but, do you think now it was the right choice?"

"No, it wasn't."

"And have you just realized this now?"

"No, not now, a long time ago, that's the thing, Haley I'm not just jumping to her out of nowhere." He exclaimed defensively.

She shook her head sympathetically, "_That's the thing, Lucas_. You said nothing and did nothing all those years." She sighed being reminded of her own problems but she focused back on her friends' issue, "It looks exactly like you want to be with her just because she's here, just because you met her again, I mean, if it still has gone wrong with Lindsey and you haven't been working on this movie and never met Peyton, would you have called her out of nowhere?"

"I… I don't know, it's complicated, it's all related, I don't know."

"You probably wouldn't have, Lucas, or you would have at one point during these past years."

"But, we're here, Haley, we have met, no what ifs, what matters is that I realized I want her in my life." He wailed.

"No, that's not what matters, Lucas. It's not about you." She frowned, "Stop thinking you're the center of attention, Lucas, this is about Peyton, it's you who are at fault here, you've given her every reason not to trust you, and to doubt herself, and to think less of herself, and to-" she huffed thinking of the issues she and Brooke had to fix while dealing with the aftermath of the Lucas damage.

Lucas' heart fell; he has caused this? He's led Peyton to think less of herself? His Peyton? How can she ever think she's less than her worth? Doesn't she know she's priceless? He thought it's a matter out of question! But, with the way Haley describes things, he realizes how much of an idiot he actually is, how could he not have known this before?

"You weren't there, Lucas, you did the damage and you fled away, you weren't there to see it." She said a little bitterly, although she has been trying to remain partial throughout this whole conversation seeing that Lucas was actually as clueless as he is.

"Tell me, Haley, I wanna know everything." He gulped.

She shook her head, "She was destroyed, Lucas, she tried keeping a brave façade, but, she couldn't, it was obvious how she thought so highly of you, so high that she preferred doubting herself and thinking that something must be wrong with her rather than thinking that you're a stupid jerk!"

"Why didn't you tell me that then, Haley?" at this point, he wasn't even hiding his shaking voice, and although he didn't let his tears fall down, his red nose and constant sniffing was an indication of his state.

"Don't you think I tried? You were this selfish self-absorbed jerk; you didn't even think you did anything wrong, you thought she's the one who abandoned you, Lucas!"

He groaned covering his face with his hands, "I was a jerk, I am a jerk."

It has only sunk in now that it was much bigger than him saying he doesn't want to be with her while in fact wanting to. It's only now that he knows what she meant when she said he thought he's the king of the world, and when she said he must have said anything during the years, and what caused him and Haley to fall out.

He looked back at all the times he came so close to calling her in those seven years but never did and cursed himself.

"It's over isn't it?" He whispered desperately.

"I don't know if it is, but, please, Lucas, if you still have any piece left of the boy I grew up with, don't go after Peyton unless you're really serious and you're completely done with Lindsey or any other one for the matter, she deserves better than that, Lucas."

He nodded, "Yeah, she does." He knows that; and as torn as his heart feels right now knowing what he has put her through and made her feel, he was already determined to fix it all no matter what it takes, even if she wouldn't take him back, he's going to make it right.

**XxXxXx**

Peyton's work with the movie is over, she's finished the songs, and they have already released Haley and Chris' duet as an early promotion for the movie that is due to be released in two months now, and the song having been released less than three days ago, is already close to the million hit and people have been congratulating her since the minute it was out.

Peyton was proud of it, and of course she was happy for the success, but, she can't pretend like she's okay, she was excited and happy but as it settled down, she felt the emptiness once again, and she can't shrug off the fact that this movie –those songs, would always hold dark memories of her working with Lucas while feeling things she shouldn't feel, and although her last encounter with him has set her free having said all the unsaid words and admitting what she couldn't admit even to herself, but it left her feeling void as if she let go of a part of her heart, a part she has been carrying all along and suddenly dropped the weight, a weight that has been holding her back, but in the same time she has got used to.

It was late in the night and Brooke isn't home yet, and when the doorbell rang she thought it's her best friend struggling to find her key in her purse like she usually does, so, she swung the door open ready to throw her a witty comment but was instantly petrified finding it the shaggy blond love interest of hers.

"Can I come in?"

"If I said no would you go?" she said coldly and he gave her a sad smile. Something seemed different about him but she couldn't name it just yet.

"I'm not here to make excuses or argue that I was anyhow less jerk than I actually was." He assured her, "There's just a few things that you should know." He said and she noticed the bag hanging on his shoulder; to be honest, she was curious so, she moved aside allowing his entrance.

She sat on the couch while he took an armchair putting his bag on the floor next him as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees as he debated where to begin, "First of all, Peyton, despite any rumors, me and Lindsey are over."

'L'amour rouge' has definitely had a lot more than its fair share of rumors since they started filming it; rumors spread about almost everyone, but the brightest ones that has been headlining the tabloids are strangely about a member or two of her friends that Peyton started believing they are cursed and their curse is in the form of this movie. Some of the current ongoing rumors are personally attached to her name being involved in the love triangle turned square as in her, Lucas, Lindsey and Chris Keller.

Rumors about the engaged couple splitting up due to one of them being unfaithful, some say it's him cheating with Peyton and others say it's her cheating with Chris, and some actually say Peyton and Chris conspired against them each respectively, while others argue that Lucas and Lindsey are still together being seen in an outing once lately.

"That's none of my business, Lucas." She told him despite specifically getting worked up over this particular rumor.

"Right," he nodded looking down before letting out a sigh, "I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for everything I have put you through," he said sincerely looking up again to meet her eyes. "You didn't deserve it, and I was too selfish to see it."

She nodded, "Fine, Lucas," she sighed, "Is that everything?"

"No, it's not." He reached for the bag and pulled out a book, "You asked me what happened to the book, remember? Well, I wasn't entirely honest with you." He said and looked at the book between his hands reading 'Unkindness of ravens' with his name on the cover.

He looked back at her to see her puzzled look before proceeding to explain, "The book is about us –you, Peyton- specifically, it's about our time in school, all the drama, all the feelings, everything. You'll find every time you were there for me and every time I was there for you written in here."

"I don't understand…"

"I finished the book after graduation, and I wanted it published, I struggled to find an agency that was interested, and when it finally happened, I spent months editing it and arguing to keep it as true as it is, and when it was done, I got only this copy printed, because there was an important step left before publishing it, and that was running it by you, see if you're okay with it well you and everyone else, but most importantly you, and I knew it was risky to go this far without even knowing if I'll get the okay or not, but, I wanted you to see it like that; the final thing, and to have the first ever printed copy."

"You never mentioned any of this, Lucas, you never called me." She frowned searching her memory for any time he has left her a message even but there was none, not a single contact.

"Yeah," he took a deep breath before continuing, "Now, this is not something one would be proud of, but, I decided to cyber-stalk you before actually contacting you; it was like three years after graduation, and I didn't know how to just barge in to your life all of a sudden, I checked all your social accounts and you were happy, you were happily in a relationship and I knew I'd ruin it and turn your life upside down if I just asked you to give me permission to publish a book about something that you're clearly over."

Peyton was struck by his confessions, she was overwhelmed; she thought that Lucas left and never looked back, she thought she never crossed his mind or else he would have made any sort of contact, but now as it seems, there was more to the story that she's in the dark of.

"That's why this was the only copy made. Well, of course it was another fight getting the agency to stop publishing the book, but, that was it, I didn't want to disturb your peace, I now wish I did though." He continued, "There were other times I came this close to calling you also, wither book-related or not, but every damn time I chickened out." He said regretfully.

"You're an idiot, Lucas! You should have published your book!"

"It doesn't matter now, anyway. That's not even the point." He looked at the book in his hands once again, "Anyway, this was meant for you, it was meant to be your copy, so, it's about time for it to serve its purpose." He said extending his hand with the book towards her.

"Lucas…" she shook her head unsure.

"It's yours, Peyton. I had it made for you in the first place. I know it's up to you, but I want you to read it. I don't know if you'll like it or if I even made you justice but, what I know is in case you ever found yourself doubting if I ever loved you again, you'll find your answer in every page."

"Lucas, this is all unnecessary, it's in the-"

"Please, Peyton." He pleaded arching his eyebrows and she hesitated for a second before taking the book from his extended hand. He reached in the bag once again and got out another pile of papers. "And this is the first draft of the book; you'll find some things that are not added to the final copy, and some handwritten notes, well, this is in case the book didn't convince you enough."

"I… I don't get it, Lucas, why are you doing this? Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I want you to know how much you mean to me, and how much I regret never calling you again, and how I hate where it got us." He said standing up, "There's no pressure, Peyton, I'm not expecting you to give me feedback, I know you can choose to never read it, but I hope you do." He said and let his eyes linger on her for a moment before turning around to leave without any other said words.

**XxXxXx**

Peyton has expected there to be a catch; she thought Lucas would nag her again, she thought it wouldn't be too soon before he'd start calling and jumping out of nowhere right after he gave her the book, but he hasn't, he has kept his word and stayed sane, her first conclusion was that he'd be chasing after Lindsey trying to win her back, but she also realized it's not true, he hasn't been after Lindsey or any other woman for the matter, which was unlike Lucas; she has known him to jump from one relationship to the other to avoid dealing with the pain, which was stupid of him, he'd always come to his senses later on though.

Knowing that, there's really no pressure inquired upon her from him, she actually started reading the book, it started off with a dedication, personally to her, describing her as 'The girl destined for greatness, his one true love, the one who saved him by letting him save her.' And to say she was already deeply touched would be an understanding; he was ready to tell that to the world, and if that's what the dedication tell her, she wondered what she'd find in the rest of the pages.

And sure enough she's been shedding tears every time she opens the book, it has taken her to places she forgot, brought up feelings she has long forgotten ever existed.

Lucas has been asking either Haley or Brooke about her every time he gets the chance to do without looking so desperate, or at least so he thought. But, it seemed like they thought enough is enough and decided not to tell him anything about Peyton and instead told him to call her if he wants to know so bad.

He has been holding his phone for about an hour, hovering his thumb over her name and retrieving it back, exactly like he has done throughout the years, groaning at not wanting to repeat the same mistakes anymore, he finally dialed with a beating heart.

He has been holding his breath with every dialing tone he hears through the phone wondering if she'll ever pick up, after what felt like centuries, she finally did.

"Peyton,"

"Lucas," she breathed over the phone and he could imagine her with wide eyes nervously biting her lower lip.

"Um, I'm just… it's been a long time, I'm just checking on you."

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking." She said and both stayed silent not knowing what else to say, "How are you doing?" she said quickly trying to overcome the awkwardness.

"Yeah, I'm good too," he nodded over the phone, "Are you going… to the party?" he asked trying to be as casual as he could.

The cast is holding up another party celebrating finalizing the movie. She wasn't enthusiastic about the idea of seeing them again especially that Lindsey of course will be there, and obviously Lucas too and she knew everyone would be looking for more rumors, or so she told herself.

"No, I've already agreed to babysit Jamie." She has made the plans beforehand so she wouldn't be tempted to change her mind.

"Oh," he didn't hide the disappointment, "Yeah, I see. Alright, like I said I was just checking, so…"

"Yeah, sure… bye Lucas. And thanks for… asking."

And the call has ended just as awkwardly as it started.

On the day of the party, Peyton was yet again alone at home as Brooke has been submerged in work lately and was going to go straight to the party. She's waiting for Haley to drop off Jamie, so when the door knocks, she automatically knows it's them, she was in the kitchen baking cookies, so, she yells over for her to come in.

"Aunt Peyton," Jamie excitedly runs over towards her and she leans down to pick him up.

"Hey, buddy. I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"We're gonna have so much fun tonight." She said putting him down to put her final patch of cookies in the oven "Why don't you go pick up something for us to watch until I finish these?" she said as the boy ran to do so.

"I hope you have learned how much a dash of salt is, for Jamie's sake."

Peyton jumped in surprise as she turned around meeting the smirk of Lucas Scott; he was referring to the time she attempted to make cookies in high school and it ended up a total disaster because Peyton put a little too much salt.

"You're not Haley."

"No, sorry, I'm not." He shook his head ghosting a smile, "Is that a problem?"

"No, no, it's fine." It surprised her how she's being around him after reading the book; in fact it was a mixture of awkwardness and shyness, all the anger is gone now especially after she unleashed it herself, and what's left now is what could be there between total strangers, well not even that simple.

"I was dropping Jamie off, Haley… had a thing." He in fact has asked Haley to do it.

"Sure. Do you want some?" she asked offering him cookies.

"I don't know. Do I?" he asked suspiciously as she rolled her eyes giving a shy smile at the memory.

"I've learned, Luke." She reassured and he reached out for a cookie while looking in her eyes liking how natural their conversation seems to be at the moment.

"Mhmm," he moaned, "You definitely have, this is the best cookie I've ever had." He said taking another one. "No, actually I take that back, your last one was the best." He said flirtatiously; after it has been established that the cookies were ruined back then, somehow a cookie dough fight was held up between them, and they ended up cleaning each other up with kisses.

Her cheeks instantly reddened and she couldn't believe he's said that, she has read the book, several times actually over the past month, and although her rage was gone, and awkwardness took place there was also this sting of sadness, sadness because of all the lost time they wasted playing and running around the facts when they could have just been together. She remembered he had feelings for her, but the thing is, he still never acted upon them and instead buried them hurting not only himself but her too, right now it was the fact that he chose to let go, that he never really fought for her was what hurt her.

"Lucas," she whined.

He sighed, "You have been avoiding me, haven't you?" he asked referring to the fact that were a few times they could have met in something related to 'L'amour rouge' but she never showed up.

"Lucas, I-"

"It's okay, I understand." He said with a sad smile, "I uh, I should get going." He said before he'd lose it and say too much, he's determined on giving her time and then see if there's even a chance for them.

"Lucas," she called after him as he was halfway towards the door, "I read the book." She announced, "I… you should publish it."

"Why?"

"Why? Because it's great, Lucas. People should see how good of a writer you are."

He gave a smile and shook his head with his hands in his pants' pockets, "The book has already reached the one audience I care about."

"Luke…"

"You don't get it, Peyt, do you?" he shook his head already knowing he can't be stopped now, "I realize everything now, I know just how big the mess I'd made is, and dammit do I regret it! I wish there's somehow I could take it all back, right now nothing matters to me but you, I want to make it all up to you, and I don't really know how, but…" he took a deep breath, "I never stopped loving you, Peyton, I know you don't trust me, and that you deserve better, and if you never took me back... I'm still going to try to fix it."

"You're confused, Lucas," she shook her head slowly, "You just broke up with Lindsey, that's okay!" she exclaimed when she saw him roll his eyes in boredom.

"Peyton," he said sternly locking eyes with her, "everything, every single stupid thing I have ever made was… was because I'm holding myself from doing the one thing I really want. And you know it."

She was once again at loss for words, this right in front of her was version of Lucas Scott that she has missed, this is the Lucas that came straight forward to her about ten years ago wearing his heart on his sleeve while telling her he wants everything with her, she didn't say anything then and she's not saying anything now, she was scared then, and she's scared now. She believed him both times, but back then she was scared to give in to her feelings and now she's scared to give in to his.

He sighed knowing that he shouldn't have said anything, not now, "I should go." He mumbled and turned around to leave, and she let him.

**XxXxXx**

It was the day of 'L'amour rouge' premier, and Peyton has decided she's yet again not going, in fact, she's been hiding even more in her apartment ever since Lucas' last visit. She didn't want to run into him, but she was telling herself that she didn't want to see any one from the cast and avoid any press, which wasn't smart, but, she couldn't trust herself at the moment around Lucas, ever since he had stood in the apartment and sincerely made his declaration, and after she has read his book, and after she has seen the old Lucas back, she was scared that she actually wants to cave in and give him a second chance, but, she didn't know if she could handle it.

Both Brooke and Haley have argued with her that she's burying herself and that she shouldn't be running away like that, but, she has denied everything.

Lucas was infuriated when learning her decision; he hated the fact that his words had the exact opposite effect of his initial intentions; he wanted to make sure that Peyton should have never doubted herself or thought less of herself in the first place, not to have her hiding again.

So, it was the morning of the premier when he decided to pay her a visit, one more –probably last- visit. She, once again didn't expect him to be standing in front of her, this time he looked more serious.

"What are you doing, Peyton?"

"What?"

"Why are you avoiding any social event? Is it because of the rumors? If it is, fuck them, Peyton, people are always gonna talk!"

"No, it's not, I-" he has been here three seconds and he already got her denying her own excuse.

"Then it's because of me; you're avoiding me, right? Because of what I said."

"Lucas, no, it's just, I'm not sure, I'm not ready." She honestly didn't know what to say; she's been caught in the act and by the look on his face, he already knows she's lying.

"Ready for what?! To see me? So, you pretend nothing happened and lock yourself in here?"

She was getting worked up; why does he care, anyway, "What's it to you, huh?"

"I do care, and I didn't tell you what I did so you'd take it this way, Peyton, you're shutting everyone out and isolating yourself. Why?"

"I don't want to see anyone, okay?" she used her usual lie.

"Bullshit." He shook his head, "If this is about me, then I'm not going, okay? The Peyton I know would love to see the final project she's participated in and see the first reactions, don't miss it, Peyton."

She looked at his determined face with wide eyes and shook her head, "No. no, of course not, you don't miss it; you co-wrote the script, Lucas. And you wrote the songs, you are a much bigger part of it than I am."

He groaned uneasily shutting his eyes for a second before speaking calmly once again, "I wasn't lying when I said you're the only one I care about right now."

"Lucas, don't be ridiculous."

"God, Peyton, why don't you get it?" he exclaimed, "None of this matters, none, unless you are happy, unless you're okay… unless you're with me." He added the last part in a low sad voice.

"Oh God," she growled covering her face with her hands as she turned her back to him, "I can't do this."

He took the risk and moved forward putting a tender hand over her shoulder, she flinched at first but then relaxed, so he placed both hands over her shoulder turning her to face him once again, "You don't have to do anything."

"You don't understand."

"Then help me."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me." He insisted and she looked up at him to meet his eyes and suddenly, she found it hard to remember why she's scared in the first place. "Peyton…" he whispered out her name as he pushed a loose strand of her hair out of her face, "Tell me you're not feeling it right now; the connection."

"I… I can't."

"Then why are you holding back?"

"I _can't_, Lucas. It never worked." They were standing so close now, her hands were curled in fists and resting between their chests with her whole body tense and his hands have slid down to her waist trying to get her relaxed.

"It was always there, Peyt, we just lacked wisdom to deal with it, but we're older now."

He looked down at her frowning confused face and he wanted nothing but to capture her lips with his but he knew better than that, so, instead, and to be safe, he took a step back and reached into his back pocket fishing out his wallet adding more to her confusion and missing his touch.

He pulled out a hairclip and waved it in front of her, "Remember this?" she instantly broke into a smile; how can she not? But, she never thought he'd have kept it then, let alone keeping it until now.

It was a pearl beads hairclip that she has worn on their last high-school game, it wasn't like her to wear such things so he has teased her and made fun of it ahead of the game, to which she answered by telling him that he's gonna regret it when they win the game and find out it's a lucky charm sticking her tongue out to him, and surely they have won the game; the state's championships game, and later on in his room, she has teasingly said that maybe he should keep it for good luck, and that's exactly what he did.

"You still have it,"

He smiled, "You were right, it's a lucky charm. Whenever I lost my way, I would bring it out and wish for a sign of guidance, or whenever I had something important to do, I would hold it before hand for good luck, and it never failed me." Lucas never really believed in lucky charms, but he believed in soul mates, and he believed Peyton was his, and this hairclip was the last and only thing he has of hers, so, this is why he knows it helped him; because he could feel her presence through it.

He pushed his hand forward towards her with the object as she looked questioningly at him, "Take it, Peyton, it will help you like it helped me, luck is not what I need right now."

"Help me with what?" she asked but took the hairclip anyway.

He sighed stepping away towards the door, "Come to the premier, Peyton, hell, come with me, I want you there. We can finally have everything together, like you wanted, like I wanted. Think about it, please, I'll be waiting for you."

**XxXxXx**

Peyton always believed she knew Lucas Scott better than anyone else, that's why she has ignored her friends' warnings to be cautious in high-school and went with her own judgment, and that's why she is going crazy right now; because she knows Lucas is struggling to hold himself back from throwing himself at her, and at the same time wants to prove he has woke up, and is willing to do things the right way.

Her world has turned upside down in the matter of months since Julian came in offering her a quick trip through 'L'amour rouge', literally. She has gone from having a good stable life with Lucas Scott forgotten in the back of her mind, to having to work with him suddenly awakening a lot of supposedly dead emotions, and to having an actual debate wither or not she can give him –them a second chance.

The thing is, she wants to, over the course of the past two months that she has basically spent home, she has come to the realization that her feelings for Lucas are back, if ever left at all, the actual problem was to wither to trust him or not, wither she'll be able to take it if another disappointment took place or not, because if she's going to do it, she's going to give it her all.

Peyton has been in a never-ending debate ever since Lucas left her apartment this morning, she has a dress laid on the bed ready for her to hop in and go to the premier, just in case, she also has his book, and the book's draft, some very old sketches and pictures all scattered on the bed too. There were wallpapers and magazines with articles talking about the movie or about them also all around the room. The mess in her room resembled the mess in her mind.

Brooke has left a while earlier after asking her if she hasn't changed her mind yet, she told her to just go through the locked door of her bedroom. So, yes, she's already running out of time if she's going to actually go.

She was holding the hairclip he gave her earlier between her fingers, nervously clipping and unclipping it rapidly while pacing the room back and forth.

She screamed throwing the small object away; why is it such a hard decision? It's not supposed to be so difficult. She stood still panting and trying to calm down, she looked around for the hairclip and panicked for a moment when she couldn't spot it, however, she finally did, it has hit the wall and retrieved back to land on top of the dress on the bed.

Her heart skipped a beat; is that it? Is this the signs he has been talking about? Does it really work this way?

She closed her eyes for a moment, Lucas has said that he said he doesn't want to be with her because he was a stupid scared teenager, and she has ran away the very first time because she was also scared, much like she is now. Their relationship never took place because of fear.

Now, he's not afraid though, well, maybe he is, but he's facing it, much like she did when she told him seven years ago, because both times, neither of them had anything to lose, she never really have him and he never really had her; it's a case of all or nothing, they can't just get to be friends, it's a scientific proven fact.

Isn't it about time to both commit at the same time? Isn't it time to let their guards down and give it a chance? She knows Lucas hasn't exactly proven he's changed, well, she knows it –feels it, but, how can he prove it unless he's given the chance to?

Those were her thoughts as she hurriedly put on her dress and wore her make-up, she put on the hairclip in the side of her hair looking at her reflection in the mirror with a pounding heart. That's it, she's going to believe in Lucas Scott, she's going to put everything in the past and start a new chapter.

He's worth it, _isn't he_?

Lucas' heart didn't stop racing ever since he arrived to the red carpet, as he posed for pictures and stopped for interviews, he was waiting to see her walking by at any moment, yet, she didn't. he saw Brooke, but she was alone, yet, he had to keep hoping, she must be running late; he saw it in her eyes before, and it was mostly clear this morning, she wants to be with him too.

Lindsey has come with Chris, and he doesn't know if they are really together or it's publicity for the movie, and honestly, he doesn't care. He was supposed to sit with Nathan, but his brother has abandoned him for Haley and Jamie, so, eventually, he found himself seated next to Brooke who had her leg bouncing up and down the whole period of the movie seemingly having something in her mind, but it didn't help his racing heartbeats or his burning nerves as he kept glancing at the door for any late arrivals, yet, Peyton still never walked in.

The movie received a very good feedback, and people were talking about the songs, so naturally him and Haley were asked questions after it and receiving congratulations along with everyone else, but, he let Haley do most of the talking as he let his disappointment wash over him.

There was an after party, but he was definitely going to pass. He was about to sneak away from the next interviewer leaving Haley to it when he heard his name being called, "Hey, Scott?" He was about to proceed pretending not to hear, "Aren't you forgetting something?" time stopped moving for a second as he recognized the voice and turned around.

It was as if he was holding a mountain over his shoulder and it suddenly dropped, a beam instantly found its place on his lips, "Peyton." He breathed out, "You made it." He said taking in her absolutely stunning appearance.

"I did." She nodded as she approached him, "I'm here, but…"

"But what?" he asked automatically snaking his arms around her waist not wanting to let her away.

"I'm scared, Luke. Terrified." She admitted resting her hands over his chest absent-mindedly fixing his tie.

"We'll take everything slow, and work through it all together I promise." He assured, "Besides you're wearing the lucky charm." He teased.

"It's what got me here."

"Mhmm, I knew it would." He chuckled. "God, Peyton, I'm glad you're here. I just want to be able to show you how much I love you."

"Hey, you can't say the L word, what happened to taking things slow?"

He rolled his eyes, "Don't you think the L word has been established since that night at Nathan's party?" he said squinting his eyes.

She giggled, "It is, but we're starting a new chapter." She said sternly, "But, for the record," she started sweetly straightening the fabric of his suit covering his broad shoulders, "I love you too."

He smiled, "Peyton Sawyer, how did I become so lucky?"

"You've held the lucky charm for seven years." She shrugged making him chuckle.

"You don't know how much I wanna kiss you right now." He whispered huskily eyeing her glossed lips.

"You can, if you promise it'll be our last first kiss ever."

"That's granted. And it'll be the first of many to come."

"I like the sound of that." She whispered back with a smile and he finally closed the gap between them in their first kiss as an exclusive couple.

"Wanna go to the after party with me?" Lucas asked as they pulled away.

"I'd love to."

"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm only alive when I kiss you." He whispered mocking a sexy accent.

"That's so cheesy, even for you." She laughed out loud and he couldn't help but chuckle too.

"You know Plato once said: At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet."

"Aw, Luke, honey, you're not a poet, you're a dork." She said as if talking to a child.

"Oh, do you want the _other kind_ of lines? I'm _full_ of them; I've been gathering each line of those throughout the seven years." He smirked.

"Oh, dear God help me!" she rolled her eyes and he let his arm hug her waist with a chuckle.

It was mind-blowing how naturally easy it came between them. An outsider would say they have been together for a long time, while physically it's not true, but Lucas and Peyton have always known each other, and have always clicked despite their constant fear to lose what they have if they got too close, a fear that have caused a lot of drama and cost a lot of time. However, it was only about time to overcome it at last, and to take a much-awaited step officially.

They walked back outside and as they were taking their way out, they knew they caught the attention of photographers and have already had tons of pictures taken of them, with already breaking titles, but, it doesn't matter, they have been rumoring anyway, as they passed Haley called out for Peyton telling her the interviewer was remarking on her music for the movie to which Peyton had a ready answer saying she was inspired.

The movie was over, and as if it only came into their lives to bring it upside down, they walked out of it completely different to how they entered, and as the movie project is done, Lucas and Peyton's own amour rouge project even though initiated long time ago, but is just beginning right now.

* * *

I guess there's not so much to do when you're staying at home. So, I've been writing.

Anyway, I think this is the most intense thing I've written all at once, but I'm happy with the outcome. What about you though? What do you think Let e know please and I'm glad you found the first one good :) Hope this one is as good.

So, next is Brulian I don't know when it will be ready, but I'm working on it sure. So, hopefully soon :)

Let me know what you think in the reviews.


End file.
